College education for 10 talented students in BiH

Scholarship and Personal Development Program

Quarterly Report

July - September 2020

Over the last few months, it has been inspiring to see the Bosana community respond to challenges with astounding compassion. Your investment in our shared vision of a better future continues to transform our students’ lives. On behalf of our students and staff, thank you!

Historically, this quarter is the busiest time of the year for our staff. It is the end of the academic year and time to select new students for our Scholarship and Professional Development Program. It is also the time for graduations and graduate school enrollment.  Please read more about all our graduates, new students, and remarkable voluntary work our students have been doing during this past quarter.

Students and Program Update:

This has been an incredible quarter for Bosana students. We are richer for having 3 new Doctor of Medicine. Ivana, Saima and Stipan passed all their requirements and officially became doctors. All three of them also passed their state exams in this same quarter.  Our doctors, however, are not the only new Bosana graduates.  Additional students who received their bachelor’s degrees during the past few months are: Senita, Ahmedina, Benjamin, Salih, Suncica and Zenajda. Josip and Sanela received their master’s degree.

In September, we also welcomed 13 new students into our Scholarship Program and additional 5 students into our Professional Development Program.

With record number of scholarship applications received this year – 219! - selection process was not an easy task. We were impressed with so many wonderful, talented and driven applicants who want to secure a better future for themselves. In the end, however, scholarship committee narrowed down their choices to a final list of new Bosana scholarship applicants.

Highlights of the quarter:

We are excited to report all these inspiring news about our students:

• Each year, we recognize Bosana's Best Student of the Year with a monetary award according to his/her grades, involvement with the Foundation, and their volunteer hours. Once again, our staff had the difficult task of choosing only one student. All Bosana students are amazing individuals who are dedicated to their studies as well as their voluntary work. After much consideration, what put Salih ahead of his peers was his significant academic and professional improvement over the past two years that we simply had to recognize and reward. Salih was born in Kladanj and he studied in the field of Food Technology at the University in Tuzla. At his university, he is also recognized as one of the best students among his peers and he graduated in September finishing his last year with a 4.0 GPA. Salih will start his master's program in November this year. Aside from his academic achievements, Salih always finds time for extracurricular activities and his hobbies, like basketball. He also volunteers at the Red Cross Kladanj and at his basketball club "Kladanj 72" as an assistant coach.

• Aleksandra from Doboj, who is studying Mathematics at the University in Banja Luka, participated in a project "Move". The project is implemented within the project "Creating a more favorable environment for civil society - EMBRACE" funded by the Norwegian Government and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

• Ivana has been part of the BOSANA Foundation family since 2016. She was born and raised in Capljina. Ivana received her medical degree from University of Mostar, passed her state exam and started working as a doctor at a hospital in Capljina, all during this quarter.

• Saima received her medical degree from University of Tuzla and passed her state exam in August. During the pandemic she dedicated her time to volunteering and helping her community. She is now actively looking for employment.

• Stipan received his medical degree from the University of Mostar and passed his state exam. He was volunteering during the pandemic as well.  Currently, he is looking for a job and is waiting to hear some positive news.  

• Ahmedina graduated from the University of Tuzla and she will continue her education in the field of social work. In November, she will start her master’s program.

• Senita, from Kladanj, she received her bachelor’s in Economics from University of Tuzla and she was also one of the students with the perfect GPA.  Senita will start her master’s program in November.

• This year, during Bosana’s Annual Benefit we presented Benjamin’s book called "Heroes without Capes". We are so proud of Benjamin because he graduated college in June and started his first job in September at the elementary school "Safet-beg Bašagic" in Sarajevo as an educator-rehabilitator. Benjamin has always worked closely with children with disabilities as a volunteer in many organizations. It's no surprise that as soon as Benjamin graduated, one of the schools called him to come and work for them.

• Our student Suncica, took part in the Fridensgrund BiH, a summer peace camp as a peer educator within the Let's Walk Together Alone project. About thirty young people from Sarajevo, East Sarajevo, Mostar, Orašje, Odzak, Gornja Dubica, Tuzla, Domaljevac, Vareš, Vitez, and Zenica participated and spent seven days socializing, learning about the customs and traditions of the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Suncica is one of the most active Bosana students when it comes to her participation in various projects and we are really proud to help her further develop her interests and skills.

• Suncica received her bachelor’s from the University of Political Sciences in Sarajevo and plans to enroll in Peace and Security Studies Master's program.

• In August, our student Pelka, participated in “Peace Caravan 2020”. She shares with us her impressions: “The Peace Caravan was realized in five cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo, Tuzla, Bijeljina, Brcko, and Doboj). I met 20 young and ambitious individuals who are ready to make a change in their local community. I wrote a project with my colleague Abdija Beganovic called "Inclusive Dialogue". 3 out of 17 best projects were selected and our project was among the first 3 projects, which will be financed by the U.S Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina" Peace Caravan is really a wonderful project and I recommend it to every young person who wants to make a positive change."

• Adi, our medical student at the University in Mostar, was hired to help at the United World College in the isolation ward during the month of August. Adi's task was to be the supervisor in residence and to monitor patients’ vital signs. He also took additional care of the patients by providing them with meals and making sure that the patients did not leave their rooms. Bravo Adi, Bosana is so proud of you and your volunteer activities.

We are proud that our students are not only dedicated to their studies, but are also making a difference through their volunteer work.

“Students for Humanity” project is still thriving.  Bosana students are all setting aside a part of their monthly scholarship funds for their own humanitarian projects.  Bosana’s former students are also part of this project.  The project is funded with their personal donations which Bosana also matches each month. Students vote each month on what projects they want to support based on the funds available.

In September, our students decided to support not one, but four initiatives with their „Bosana Students for Humanity“ project.

One initiative went towards purchasing books and accessories for 18 school children living in foster families. Books were distributed to these children through their social workers.

The second project our students completed this month was to help a family of eight (8) from Tuzla by purchasing food, basic necessities, paying for children's school supplies, and paying off their electrical bill.

The third initiative was to help raise funds for an operation of a rare tumor for one young father. An official fundraiser was organized and one of Bosana students suggested donating a portion of their funds to this fundraiser.

Lastly, students donated to a student from Zenica who needed help paying for his dorm room fees.  

BOSANA FOUNDATION

Scholarship and Personal Development Program

Quarterly Report

April-June 2020

Executive Summary:

As we head into the second part of the year, we want to recognize all of our amazing supporters for the enormous contributions they have made over these last few months. We exceeded our COVID-19 fundraiser goals aimed to help our former students and, on top of that, we received a microgrant from GlobalGiving.

Bosana would like to express gratitude for your unrelenting dedication to ensuring our students receive support, especially during this unprecedented time. The majority of the world spent these months in their homes and yet, we have so many noteworthy updates for you.  I am incredibly proud to share the news about how our students have spent their spring quarter.

Students and Program Update:

These past three months have been unforeseen, presenting our students with countless personal and professional challenges that might have stopped many. However, Bosana students overcame them, continuing to adapt and carrying out their academic requirements. One silver lining over the spring quarter was seeing how our students came together to quickly move to remote teaching and learning and help each other succeed in this new environment. It has been a difficult semester and now we already have several students that are nearing graduation and some that have graduated.

We are steadfast in our dedication to our students. In response to the global pandemic, Bosana organized a fundraiser for our former students through the GlobalGiving platform.  Our goal was to help at least three former Bosana students who were most affected by COVID-19 by raising $3,000. In only a few days, we were able to raise a total of $15,834. This meant that we were now able to help many more students. We surveyed all of our former students in order to group them and divide the funds.  We are pleased to report that with your support, we were able to help all 14 students who needed additional support.

It was obvious to us that our current students and their families would be affected with the changes brought on by this pandemic. That is why we decided to raise the monthly scholarship from 150 BAM to 300 BAM during the months of April, May, and June. That way we would help our students and their parents who lost their jobs.

Additional funds were secured through GlobalGiving from both an anonymous corporate donor and an anonymous cohort of individuals to provide more hardship micro-grants to the community. Bosana was among the lucky organizations selected to receive an additional $1,000 micro-grant from GlobalGiving. This is an unrestricted donation to Bosana Foundation, which we will use to further help our current and former Bosana students who have been most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Kickstart your Career” workshop was tailored in 2019 specifically for BOSANA students with a focus on creating their professional biographies, resumes, cover letters, interview skills, time management, working in teams and other skills relevant in the today’s job market. Last year, eleven of Bosana students participated in the pilot program and this year we anticipated that sixteen of our graduating students would participate in the program. Due to COVID-19, we had to switch from in-person to online training. The students have reported remarkable results and satisfaction with the two-week online training.

Highlights of the quarter:

We are excited to report all these inspiring news about our students:

• Stipan is from Mostar and he studies medicine. He has received two Dean's Awards for Academic Excellence. Each year, we also recognize Bosana's Best Student with a monetary award according to his/her grades, involvement with the Foundation, and their volunteer hours. Stipan was selected four times for this Award. During COVID-19 lock down, Stipan volunteered at the 'Health Center' and 'Crisis Headquarters' in Mostar. His task was to inform citizens about the COVID-19 virus, explaining steps in preventing the virus and giving advice on how to say healthy.

• Suncica currently studies Political Science at the University of Sarajevo. The center for youth “Ivan Pavao II” with Suncica’s help has donated 6 computers to the daily center “Udruzenje Zemlja djece”, in which our student Pelka volunteers, and also to one pupil from Bosanska Otoka.

• Pelka is enrolled at the Educational-rehabilitation faculty at the University in Tuzla. She has been active in the non-governmental sector for many years making positive changes in her local community and beyond. During this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pelka was involved as a volunteer helping senior citizens by going to grocery stores and paying their bills since elderly over 65 years of age were not allowed to leave their homes.

• On behalf of the International Solidarity Forum, EMMAUS our student Nejra distributed preliminary packages of social vulnerability to elderly in the city of Zenica.

• Our student Emir studies medicine in Sarajevo, but has spent these past few months in his hometown. Aside from his academic engagement, he volunteers in the Red Cross in Kljuc where he is involved in a wide range of activities. In June, through this organization Emir collected food which was then distributed to those who needed it the most.

• Adi M. received recognition for being the best student of his generation with highest GPA at University of Mostar once again. Adi’s major is health studies and nursing.

• Benjamin past his final exam in June at the Educational-Rehabilitation University in Tuzla, which was the last milestone in completing all his requirements towards a bachelor degree. He is now preparing for the next phase of his academic life.

We are proud that our students are not only dedicated to their studies, but are also making a difference through their volunteer work.

“Students for Humanity” project is still thriving.  Bosana students are all setting aside a part of their monthly scholarship funds for their own humanitarian projects.  Bosana’s former students are also part of this project.

Students used their funds to support three projects during spring quarter. We are so proud of our students' continuous support to families and individuals in need.

• One of the former Bosana students suggested helping Almin, student from Zenica since  he found out that this student was not able to cover his dorm room expenses for March. Bosana students covered the cost of the dorm room as well as some additional living expenses.

• In April, students helped an unemployed elderly man who lives with his daughter and wife in Tuzla. He was never able to hold a stable job working only seasonal construction jobs. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic he was not able to go to work and lost all his potential earnings. Bosana students decided to donate through their project to help the family.

• Students have also helped one family from Zivinice with funds for food and other basic necessities.