Education Bosnia and Herzegovina Project #12774

College education for 10 talented students in BiH

by Bosana Foundation

Project Report | Jul 1, 2019
Scholarship Program Quarterly Report Q2 2019

By Ajlana Osmanagic | Program Director

Kick Start Career

BOSANA FOUNDATION

Scholarship and Personal Development Program

Quarterly Report

April-June 2019

Executive Summary:

This reporting period has been marked by few exciting events for our students. Spring semester is coming to an end, students completed their midterms and started taking their final exams. Several students graduated in the past three months while many others are getting closer to their goals. BOSANA organized a workshop for our junior and senior students to prepare them for the next phase of their professional journey. In the next quarter, BOSANA will open application process for the next academic year and select new scholarship students. BOSANA’s notable acomplishments are testament to our extraordinary suporters. Our work would not be possible without the support of our valued donors, volunteers and community partners.

Students and Program Update:

BOSANA students have been busy this quarter with lectures, the end of semester, midterms and start of the final exams. Midterms are over now and majority of our students are halfway into their final exams. Thus far, results have been commendable, however, we still have to wait until the end of July to have all results available.

We are waiting on our students who are seniors to complete all their requirements. So far we had four students who officially graduated in May and June, and we are expecting more graduations by the end of this year.

Several students attended conferences while some presented their work at international conferences. During this semester we had a few students that were part of the exchange program and there will be couple more that will spend some time abroad during this summer. It is important to emphasize that these exchange programs are very competitive and students have to earn their rights to be part of the program.

“Kick start Your Career”

BOSANA organized a workshop for our students that are either in their last college year or have recently graduated. Training was divided into two sections taught over two weekends. “Kickstart your Career” workshop was tailored specifically for BOSANA students with focus on creating their professional biographies, resumes, cover letters, interview skills, time management, working in teams and other skills relevant for today’s job market. This is one more training in line that is designed to help our students build additional skills to help distinguish them from the rest of the graduates that are coming into the job market.

Highlights of the quarter:

We are excited to report numerous positive news about our students:

Dragana K. earned her Law degree at the University of Banjaluka in May.

Galib G. earned his degree in Social Pedagogy. His thesis was titled “Family abuse as the indicator of the current status of Zenica-Doboj Canton” for which he received a perfect score.

Ivana N. completed all her requirements at the University of East Sarajevo- Faculty of Medicine Foca. BOSANA family now has one more doctor of medicine.

Denis S. earned his M.A. degree in Biology-Genetics at the University of Sarajevo.

Benjamin Avdic presented his article “Parents as co-therapist in education and rehabilitation of children with developmental disorders” at the 10^th International Scientific-Vocational Conference focused on “promotion of the quality of life of children and young” in Istanbul, Turkey. Benjamin was part of the organizing board for this conference.

Jasmina, our former student who is now gainfully employed, is BOSANA’s newest donor.

Josip completed his ERASMUS exchange in Poland and is coming back to Mostar to take his final exams.

Saima, our medical student from Tuzla was coordinator for the Special Olympics Friends Competition. This is a main annual event but the project is active during the rest of the year and she is part of this ongoing project.

Furthermore, Saima is going to spend a month in Poland, at the Medical University of Lublin as an exchange student through International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations. During this exchange Saima will be working on a special project in neurology called “Modifying the anticonvulsive activity of antiepileptic drugs by gap-junction blockers”.

Ivana B. will spend a month in Turkey as an exchange student, also through program of International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations. Ivana’s focus will be general surgery. As part of this exchange, Ivana will work on her surgical practice, learn about different approaches in various hospitals in Turkey, and observe procedures that are not part of the standard curriculum in Bosnia and Herzegovina. She will have opportunity to visit one of the best hospitals in Turkey as well as several different cities.

“Students for Humanity”

Our student led project is still active. BOSANA students are still setting aside part of their monthly scholarship for their own humanitarian projects. Former students, which have graduated in the past years, have decided to contribute to this project. At this time, students are waiting to collect larger sum while they are looking for a new project to support.

Dragana konjevic

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Apr 2, 2019
Scholarship Quarterly Report January -March 2019

By Ajlana Osmanagic | Program Director

BOSANA 10th Annual Benefit

BOSANA FOUNDATION

Scholarship and Personal Development Program

Quarterly Report

January –March 2019

Executive Summary:

BOSANA’s fundraising efforts have gotten off to a great start this year. During the second half of March we have marked our 10^th Annual Benefit with our most loyal volunteers, donors and supporters. To celebrate this important milestone, BOSANA invited Amira Medunjanin, a renowned singer from Bosnia and Herzegovina who performed with Bojan Zulfikarpašic, Nikola Stajic and Pero Krstajic. Amira is a singer, humanitarian and a true amabasador of traditional Bosnian song called sevdalinka. It was a magical night, filled with emotions and positive energy. When we started planning the benefit, we set a goal for ourselves to raise $100,000 for our 10^th Anniversary. With the help of our donors and sponsors we are thrilled that we were able to achieve our goal and reach $100,000. In addition to our annual benefit, two former Bosana students organized fundrasing events on behalf of Bosana.

Our current BOSANA students are also working on the final stages of their project “Pairing Youth – Empowering Coexistence” with Youth for Peace as our implementing partners. This project is financialy supported by the US Embassy in BiH- Economic Support Fund.

Students and Program Update:

Beginning of the calendar year marks the end of the first semester (fall) and the beginning of the exam season. BOSANA students have finished their classes for the fall semester; they have also taken their midterms and final exams. Some universities have started with the spring semester at the end of March while others will be starting in the next quarter. Thus far, students have reported good outcomes and all of them are on good track for the next part of the academic year. We still have several students that are trying to schedule their thesis defense, and hopefully in the next couple of months we will have new graduates. The students finishing their thesis have completed their requirements and now they are only waiting on the committees to give their availability.

Highlights of the quarter:

We are excited to be able to report that we have positive news about our students:

Josip started his Erasmus exchange program in Poland at the end of February. He is currently in his first year of graduate studies and this exchange program will enhance his knowledge and broaden his horizons.

Anela Z. majored in genetics. She received her bachelor’s degree and last year master’s degree as well. Right now Anela is venturing into digital world of data in relation to her study of genetics. She published an article on “Big data” and genetic research.

Two of Bosana students organized fundrasing events for Bosana. Amir, our former student started Facebook campaign, asking for donations on his birthday instead of gifts. Esma K., our former student and a loyal vlunteer, who always makes sure our designs and graphics are amazing, organized a fundraiser in Sweden. We are so proud to see how much Bosana’s support meant to our students and to have our students raising funds on behalf of Bosana for the new generations.

Nermina P., Bosana’s first generation student and Amila B. Bosana’s third generation student attended our 10^th Annual Benefit in Los Angeles. They have given their speeches on behalf of all Bosana students thanking our sponsors and donors for their continuous support. Both Amila and Nermina talked about the significance of Bosana during their education, how much Bosana meant to them and how much it still means to have support and lifelong friends they have through our annual student gatherings. The audience was able to learn directly from our students what it means to be a recipient of our scholarship.

As mentioned in previous reports: Bosana students are still working on the third phase of the project “Pairing Youth – Empowering Coexistence”. Implementing partners of this project are Youth for Peace BiH. US Embassy in BiH is the financial supporter of this project.

The objective of the project, which will last for 10 months, is for thirty (30) BOSANA students from different ethnic backgrounds and different parts of BiH to be trained to understand and deal better with current complex conditions of the BiH society to create, promote and live their own narrative of coexistence as young citizens of this country, while also having the opportunity to multiply the newly gained awareness by sharing it and their experience with 600 high-school students across BIH in the cities and communities where BOSANA students live or study.

Our students have started sharing their experiences with highschool students in their own comunities. This phase of the project is ongoing, due to different availabilities of educators and students. In order to fully complete the implementation, students need to receive official approval from schools and municipalities. All groups of students are now working on the third phase of this project.

“Students for Humanity” project is still going strong. New Bosana students also signed up for this project and all the students are still very much excited to set aside part of their monthly scholarship for their own humanitarian projects. This year, even students that have graduated in the past year have decided to contribute to this project.

Last quarter students helped their fellow student in Tuzla with her college expenses and now Bosana students are looking for a new beneficiary that will benefit from this project.

Amila i Nermina on Venice Beach

Adi, reciving award for best student leader

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Jan 2, 2019
Quarterly Report Oct - Dec 2018

By Ajlana Osmanagic | Program Director

US Embassy Project -Bihac group

BOSANA FOUNDATION

Scholarship and Personal Development Program

Quarterly Report

October- December 2018

Executive Summary:

In this quarter, Bosana students were mainly occupied with new courses and the new academic year. New students were adjusting to their new obligations, attending classes and volunteering, which is part of their BOSANA scholarship obligation.

30 BOSANA students that are part of the US Embassy supported project have also started the final stage of their project “Pairing Youth – Empowering Coexistence” which we are realizing together with Youth for Peace as our implementing partners.

In regards to fundraising, this quarter, with our donors and supporters we have raised $9,839 during the Giving Tuesday campaign. This one day of fundrasing secured three fulll scholarships for BOSANA students.

Students and Program Update:

October is the beginning of a new academic year and new opportunities. New students had a challenging month ahead fo them, learning the rules at the university, new courses and new colleagues. This is also the first month of their volunteer engagement. It is important for them to find organizations that will have enough hours and tasks for them every month. The goal of these volunteer hours is to help our students grow professionaly and give them skills that would better prepare them for the future. BOSANA students were successful in finding organizations where they could volunteer, some even decided to continue to volunteer at organizations where they volunteered during their high school years.

As mentioned earlier, this part of the year is also reserved for the third phase of the project “Pairing Youth – Empowering Coexistence”. Implementing partners of this project are Youth for Peace BiH. US Embassy in BiH is the financial supporter of this project.

Our students have started sharing their experiences with highschool students in their own communities. This phase of the project is ongoing, due to different availabilities of educators and students. In order to fully complete the implementation, students need to receive official approval from schools and municipalities. In the next few months we will have more reports from different cities and towns.

Highlights of the quarter:

Last quarter of the year has been busy for our graduating and new students. Sixteen new students started their academic year and have already taken their midterms.

In the last quarterly newsletter we reported a number of students that graduated during the summer months, but we were also waiting on another group of students working on their diploma papers/final projects and diploma paper defense.

We are happy to report that:

Milena has earned Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Banjaluka in November.

Admir earned Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from University in Tuzla.

Amar completed his training and became certified youth worker in Slovenia, where he is currently completing his study abroad program.

Armin started practicing medicine in a hospital in small town near Tuzla shortly after completing internship at the university.

Adi received recognition for being the best student with highest GPA at University in Mostar.

Anela and Amila received their M.A. degrees. Amila already started working while Anela is exploring possibilities for a PhD program in Germany.

Tesnima who will receive her M.A. diploma next quarter has already started working as a substitute teacher in high school in city of Tesanj.

Bosana students are still setting aside part of their monthly scholarship for their own humanitarian projects.

Last quarter they helped secure funds for supplies that will be used to clean up and renovate space for youth organization in Sanski Most. Youth of Sanski Most should soon start using this new space that will belong to them.

Our student Ahmedina found out, though her volunteer work; about a family that has three young children and very low income. The boy that was in elementary school did not have any school supplies, shoes or proper winter clothing. Students decided to give 400KM for this project. Our students bought boots for the boy and a little girl, so they have warm shoes for the winter. They have also bought food, cleaning supplies and other household products. Family was very grateful to receive this help and our students were happy to help this family.

Additionally, students donated part of their funds to one student from Tuzla. This student was living with an ill father who had no income and a retired mother. She started third year of technical college but she had to work at the same time to support her family. Bosana students wanted to help her with tuition and books, at least for the first semester so she can focus more on her studies. One of Bosana graduating students suggested that they should donate part of their funds for this purpose. Everyone agreed, since they knew how hard it is to pay for tuition and books if parents are not employed. Azra received 500KM from Bosana students to pay her tuition, books and other school expenses.

Amila and Anela with their diplomas

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