Building a future in BiH may not be easy, but it’s certainly possible if you’re willing to be patient and work hard on making your ideas come to life. Youth from Jajce are proof it can be done. With the help of the Institute for Youth Development KULT and the Municipality of Jajce, and with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden in BiH, they successfully launched their own businesses.

One of them is Samed Glamočić, a physical therapist who graduated from university and interned in the General Hospital before trying to get a job. But, finding employment proved to be a struggle.

“Then I saw the program the Municipality was offering in cooperation with the Institute for Youth Development KULT, inviting us to apply with our business plans. I already knew what I wanted to do because I’m a physical therapist by profession, and I’ve also been to some other trainings, so I decided to write a project proposal. I submitted the proposal at the end of 2018, and the results we published in the beginning of 2019. Then I started the process of launching my business, and registering it”, said Samed.

Thanks to this program, Samed opened his “Relax Studio” offering physical therapy, massages and cupping, an alternative method popular around the globe. He is just starting out, but people are already showing interest in his services and are curious to learn what cupping is.

“It’s a completely natural treatment. It’s a medical regulatory method, that uses vacuum to extract biological toxic waste that accumulates in capillary blood. Cupping restores balance to the human metabolism”, says Samed.

Although he is convinced that he would have eventually found a way to start his business, this program was the impetus he needed to get going. Despite the fact that youth are leaving BiH, and he himself had considered it, he says is not the type of person who can thrive abroad.

“I want to stay here, no matter what it takes, this is where I want to make a living. I never categorically rejected the idea of leaving, but I would only leave for professional training, not permanently. I’d like to experience something new, a training abroad, but I want to work here.”

His message to young people is to work hard if they want to stay in BiH.

“They won’t achieve anything if they just sit on their hands. You have to give it a try, and see where you go from there. Working constantly and being patient is crucial. Success won’t come overnight. You have to be patient, and you will eventually reap the benefits of your hard work”, says Samed.

Another young entrepreneur we talked to shared similar advice. Arnes Hadžić graduated from a Secondary School of Commerce and used the funds from this program to open his own bakery. He says this is a good idea because he’s located close to a school, several local businesses and a road.

“I registered my business at the end of July and started paying all the salary contributions. I adapted a space for the bakery in my family house. I did most of the work by myself. I will be working alone in the beginning, and then maybe hire another person to work half-time if I need help. I went to Tešanj for training and I think that experience will be useful for running my business”, says Hadžić.

He never contemplated leaving the country, because he’s convinced he can succeed in BiH, which he’s already proved. Thanks to this program, he said he finally got the courage to start his own business.

“I faced some challenges and difficulties when I was buying the machinery, which is why I’m running late. I’m sorting it out though and expecting to start my business soon. It takes a lot of effort and patience, and you also have to be realistic. You have to be persistent, sometimes a little bit annoying. I kept trying for three years, and finally, my attempts have worked”, says Hadžić.

Haris Burek shares this opinion. He applied with a completely different idea during the previous call, but today, after refining his idea and vision, he succeeded in implementing them. He graduated from a high school for construction trades, got a job at a construction company, and then applied for this program.

“I decided to start a construction business, GP Konstruktor. I registered the business 6 months ago and now I have two employees. When I heard that another craftsman will stop working with stone and is selling his machines, I bought them from him and launched my business. I also make tombstones, and I’m the only one who makes them for all the religions in Jajce, Mrkonjić Grad, Šipovo and Jezero”, says Haris.

He says he’s thrilled with the results. He didn’t expect success to come so quickly, but it’s already clear now that thanks to the variety of services he offers he doesn’t have to worry about competition.

He never thought about leaving because of the love he feels for his country.

“You won’t find this air, this water, this food anywhere else. Everything is genetically modified outside of BiH. You can’t grow some vegetables for yourself, the quality of life isn’t there. Life is more about money and things. There’s also the spiritual aspect, the quality of life.

He wants other young people to know that the first step is the hardest, but if they’re brave enough to take it success is guaranteed.

“I’ve always wanted to start my own business, and this incentive gave me the boost I needed to go on. I always had a goal in life, and that’s the key to everything. Have a goal, dare to reach for it and you’ll succeed."

This new young entrepreneur says he’s completely dedicated to his work.

“Even when you’re sleeping you’re working. Wherever you are you leave an impression on people and they’ll come to you if you have a smile on your face. You are the reflection of what you do.”

After only six months his business is self-sustainable, which is a major success. The only difficulty he’s facing currently is the transportation of large and heavy machinery, but he believes he will overcome that obstacle in time too.

Despite all the difficulties, challenges, doubts and fears, these young entrepreneurs prove that success is possible if you’re dedicated to developing your idea. Of course, all this requires support, which luckily they got from the Institute, Municipality of Jajce and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden in BiH.

One thing can be said for sure - their success ultimately depends on their willingness to fight for their place in today’s society. On the market, among other people, in the world. These young people prove that success is built on having faith in your idea.

Džemila Mujić (25) from Novi Travnik dedicated her life to fighting for gender equality. This is why Džemila, a perfect example of a local activist fighting for gender equality, is the kind of person with whom the Institute wants to celebrate 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. Džemila is one of the participants of the Institute’s Learn, Think and Act! training, and her local initiative is designed around fighting violence against women and girls. On September 25, together with over 20 high school students, Džemila took to the streets of Novi Travnik to engage citizens and show them why it’s important to join the fight against all types of violence, especially violence against women and girls.

Džemila said that her interest in this topic dates back to her high school days, because no one in her town at the time was advocating for protecting women and girls - not the school, not the community, and not the NGO sector either. Džemila noted the lack of opportunities for youth in Novi Travnik, and the ethnic divide in the city, adding that she is very proud of the work done by the Association “New Vision”, who are constantly conducting activities that involve as many youth as possible, regardless of their ethnicity. Over the past 6 months, Džemila and her team included more than 60 young volunteers in the work of New Vision.

“Violence isn’t always physical, it can be inflicted through other behaviors, some of which are even considered acceptable and commonplace. These behaviors are unfortunately promoted in schools, they happen regularly while you’re going about your regular activities like talking a walk. It’s interesting that women are usually the ones targeted by this “regular” behavior, said Džemila, noting that there can never be enough campaigns and initiatives intended to eliminate violence against women and girls.

While working with youth, Džemila noticed that peer violence is a topic that calls for more attention, as the most common form of violence that young people are exposed to. Džemila is an attorney, currently enrolled in an MA program at the Faculty of Law of the University of Zenica. Her message, primarily for others in her town, is that we all need to work on improving ourselves every day. Džemila thinks that formal education isn’t enough in this day and age, so everyone, especially youth, should take advantage of various trainings that can help them improve their skills, just like they helped her. Džemila’s future plans include opening a center for free legal aid for women and young people.

Today is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls. Let’s eliminate violence together!

Fourth High School in Ilidža hosted four workshops for primary and secondary school students in the municipality of Ilidža, which included a panel discussion Life Without Violence. Around 80 participants had an opportunity to learn about different forms of violence, with a particular emphasis on peer, gender-based and cyber violence. The workshop was followed by a panel discussion with citizens from the municipality of Ilidža. The two panelists were Nermina Vehabović-Rudež, psychologist and psychotherapist and Hamida Memišević, member of the Committee for the Protection of Human Rights, Petitions and Proposals of the Municipal Assembly of Ilidža.

“In less than two hours we learned about all the kinds of violence. We don’t get to hear about this topic much, and this made me realize how important it is to talk about it. Cyber violence was a particularly relevant topic for us, since we’re at an age where we’re constantly exposed to it”, said Rijalda Ragipović, student from the Fifth Primary School Ilidža.

In front of an audience of 100 citizens of Ilidža, Vehabović-Rudež talked about the importance of encouraging the entire community to recognize and report violence. “It’s important for professionals to be able to recognize violence - doctors, teachers or the police - and to react”, said Vehabović-Rudež, adding that the police must respond to all reports of violence, even if it’s means responding to the 50th call from the same family.

During the introduction, Azra Jahić, Chairwoman of the Commission for the protection of Human Rights, Petitions and Suggestions of the Municipal Council of Ilidža presented the results of a survey conducted by this Commission. Results of the survey showed that 47% of people in the municipality of Ilidža believe that women should not have the same legal rights as men.

All the implemented activities are part of the Gender Action Plan of the Municipality Ilidža and the global campaign 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.

Amra Dedić (23) from Zenica, has been awarded the Best Student title for three years in a row, at the Faculty of Economy of the University of Zenica. Amra finished her third year with the highest grades in all courses. With a three-year GPA of 9.7, she was rightfully awarded the Best Student title. However, Amra doesn’t only excel at formal education, she also decided to invest in her personal growth by taking part in trainings and academies, and taking every opportunity she gets to contribute to her community.

From August to October, Amra worked on implementing her first independent project - remodeling a schoolyard - with the support of the Institute for Youth Development KULT. She wanted to make a small contribution to the school, in appreciation of all the knowledge that teachers share with us. The reactions of Amra’s neighbors and the school administration showed that the communities recognize good initiatives. Everyone found a way to support this action, and create a much more adequate schoolyard where students can spend their time between classes. School officials said that they already have a vision for building on this initiative. They will use the reconstructed schoolyard for building their first outdoor classroom that can be used in the spring.

Amra always used to say that formal education is her priority, and projects and trainings always seem abstract to her. However, her opinion changed when she applied to take part in “Learn, Think and Act!” which she also approached with dedication and eagerness to learn. In the very beginning of the training, Amra struggled because it was her first encounter with methods used during workshops in trainings such as UMiD. But, she quickly realized that she learn a lot of practical things that will prove useful to her in the future.

“Non-formal education taught me different things compared to formal education, and I have to admit that they’re more practical. By that I mean I was able to actually put them to use. I’d say that non-formal education is perhaps even better than formal education when it comes to practical work. I believe that formal education should be the foundation for everything else, but I also think that it should be supplemented with trainings such as UMiD” said Amra, adding that non-formal education places a stronger emphasis on inter-personal relationships, which helped her broaden her horizons and better understand others.

We asked Amra how she manages to balance everything and what she is most proud of. Interestingly, she said that she is most proud of her ability to coordinate her many activities, and that she has never given up an activity she took up. She says her parents and friends know best how she manages to do it all, and she is extremely grateful to them for their understanding, because sometimes her obligations don’t leave her much time to socialize. But, Amra says she more than makes up for it during semester breaks.

In addition to all these activities, Amra finds time to paint, is a member of the Youth Association REaktiv in Zenica, and is currently part of the team launching the first Youth Center in Zenica. She is also attending the Democracy Academy run by Žene za žene International, and working as a tutor for Statistics, Math and other courses.

Her message to young people is to never give up on their dreams and vision, to invest in their education, whether formal or informal, because, as we’re often told, education is the only thing no one can take away from us. Amra advised all young people to apply to take part in the “Learn, Think and Act!” training for young leaders. Applications for this training are open until midnight on Monday. The link to the application form is available at www.mladi.org/myURL/umidobuka.