USAID Program Helps BiH Returnees Feed Their Families
Traveling to Srebrenica today, it's hard to imagine that 10 years ago the peaceful, bucolic setting was the site of the greatest atrocity in Europe since World War II. Serb forces gathered between 7,000 and 8,000 Muslim men and boys and herded them off to be killed, leaving behind thousands more grieving widows and children. The survivors of this tragedy were forced to flee to safer areas throughout the country.
Nine years later the picture has changed considerably. Over one million refugees and displaced persons have returned to their homes in Bosnia-Herzegovina, including many to Srebrenica. USAID has supported this return and rebuilding process in Srebrenica with a wide variety of activities, including the repair of $8.3 million worth of infrastructure.
However, USAID found infrastructure was not enough. Returnees also needed ways to earn a living and provide for their families, but most could not qualify for traditional bank loans or even support from microcredit organizations. In response, the Mission developed a project to provide small grants and loans to the most economically disadvantaged returnees. Depending on the recipient's circumstances, the loans may be repaid in part with a low interest rate or in kind. The project, Economic Opportunities for Returnees, is implemented by the United Methodist Committee on Relief.
The mother of nine children, Habiba Halilovic is a typical beneficiary. She is a 41-year-old widow who lives deep in the countryside, far from any roads or marketplace. Halilovic was having trouble feeding her family when a neighbor stopped by to tell her about the USAID project. That visit marked a pivotal change in her life. Shortly thereafter, she received a cow from USAID, improving her situation dramatically. Halilovic's good fortune also benefited her neighbors. As part of her agreement, she repaid her loan by giving her cow's calf to a neighboring family.
"Having a cow is golden," says Halilovic. "Now when I wake up in the morning, I no longer have to worry what I will feed my children. We always have milk, cheese and sour cream."
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| Habiba Halilovic’s children now have milk for breakfast |
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