SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina, May 26, 2008 – the World Bank office in Bosnia and Herzegovina awarded grants to seven local civil society organizations as a part of the annual Civil Society Fund competition. Among 92 applications received this year, proposals by the following organizations stood out for innovation in addressing the needs of the most vulnerable categories: Association “BOSPO” – Tuzla – program for minority returnees; Association “OAZA” – Trebinje – inclusion of children with special needs; Association of paraplegics and other invalids – Doboj – program for paraplegics, people with muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, and blind persons; “Centar za kreativno odrastanje” – Sarajevo - support to socially vulnerable children through scholarship program; “Kuca otvorenog srca” – Mostar – improving quality of life of old people; Parents association “ADA” – Bosanska Krupa – program for children with special needs; Women association “Kljucki biseri” – Kljuc – program for women and children victims of violence.
Winners were selected by an independent commission which included representative of ICVA (International Council of Voluntary Agencies),members of the Youth Voices Group, and the World Bank. The total amount of grant funding awarded to these seven organizations was US$ 35,000. This was the ninth consecutive year in which the World Bank awards small grants (ranging from 3,000 to 7,000 US$) to civil society organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina to strengthen civic engagement in addressing the needs of the most vulnerable categories of population. “Over years we have seen that impact of these small programs can indeed be substantial. In the previous years we've seen efforts to include Roma children in regular education, to improve livelihood of disabled and make sure that their voices are heard. We have seen young people given opportunities to influence developments in their local communities” stated Marco Mantovanelli – World Bank Country Manager for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Contact: Goran Tinjic (+ 387 33) 251518 gtinjic@worldbank.org |
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