Economic Empowerment and Fight against Poverty of Women in Bosnia Herzegovina

1. Economic Empowerment and Fight against Poverty of Women in Bosnia Herzegovina

2. Program ''Economic Progream ‘’Economic Empowerment and Poverty Reduction of Women in Bosnia Herzegovina targetsvulnerable chatgeories ofwomen who do not have accessto other sources of ffinancing. Women single heads of households – sinlge mothers or widows,women over 45 years ofage who lost jobs as a consequence ofthe war,womenwith special needs,victims ofdomestic violence, women atthemost risk of becomingvictims oftrafficking, users of social beefits displacedand minority women, especially Roma. Wehther they live in urban or rural areas women face same disadvatages and obstacles – e.g. discrimation on the base of age. Maksuma Šuvalić Re-fiiling of printer cartridges Slobodanka Ćorluka, minority returnee, was employed in industry before the war. When she approached BHWI she was unemployed and not yet eligible for retierment. Living in isolation in rural areas around Mostar she had literaly none chances for securing means of living. Isolation and the absence ofrunningwater in her village determine sheepbreeding as theonly effectiveincomegenerating activityfor thismiddle-agedwomen. Today she has byers coming to her doorstep, which is an additional advantage not having to invest in trasport and distribuition. When she approached BHWI Foundation Maksuma Šuvalić was displacedwoman leftwithoutemployment as a consequence ofthewar. At the age of 50, she found herself in the urban setting and at the age that was not ‘’attractive’’ to newly emerged employers. Being capable of wokring but not finding employment, Maksuma deeveloped idea of starting own business. That is how Amsi d.o.o started, with the financial support from BHWI for machines, repro material and registration costs . Inconsecutive year, withtechnicall support ofBHWI, Amsi d.o.o. applied for and received additional funding for expansion from the Ministry for Entrepreneurship andCrafts. Currently, Amsi d.o.o employs three workers. Slobodanka Ćorluka Sheep breeing

3. Women form rural areas are in a especially difficult position to find employment. They have limited access to funding and credits, partly because of their isolation and partly due to the fact that they in most cases do not own any property as a guarantee for bank credit. Greenhouse flower production Solidarity group of women, Čelebići Investments into development of small family farms, offers durable solutions for rural families. It presents transfer from agriculture as a way of life into agriculture as a profession. Only from the sale of flowers seedlings in spring and flowers for All Saints day in autumn these three women earn over 12,000 BAM a year. Greenhouse vegetable production Solidarity group of women, Srebrenica Even though agricultural activity requires participation of entire family , women are primary applicants with BHWI Foundation – they sign contracts, need to open bank account for the purpose of project implementation and are responsible for managing own project. We believe by that this fact alone we improve position of rural women. Funding they receive becomes visible contribution to their families which results in their better standing and recognition from the family and the community as whole. Cheeken breeding Solidarity group of women, Ljubinje

4. Only two years after the start of production, beneficiary registered cooperative. The current number of members of cooperative is over 80 women who produce milk and half products. After becoming members of cooperative each of these women was able to receive incentive from the Ministry for Agriculture to enlarge number of cows. Today, company 'Dedić‘ had contracts for distribution of their products in all big supermarket chains throughout the country. BHWI gives priority to projects whose implementation includes different stakeholders in the community or projects that fit within local development plan, thus securing long-term sustainability of the project. In this way, project beneficiaries are able to access additional sources of financing especially incentives from the state for business development One such example is project ''Cheese production'' whose aim was to expand and improve already established home production of cheese. Production was based on buying off milk from small local farms (one to two cows per farm) and production of cheese following traditional recipe of the region. Mirsada Dedić Cheese Production One woman, dental nurse byprofessionwho, at the age of 42,was left without any means ofincome, had avision and BHWIFoundation wasable to provide support. The initialandconsecutive fund received fromBHWI Foundation allowedpurchase of modern machinery forpackaging and production and expansion in quantity andassortment of final products.

5. Minority returnee women from suburban areas around Mostar who were mostly employed in the town before the war but were left without employment upon their return, turned towards resources at hand for securing means of living. They re-established their pre-war vineyards from the fund received by BHWI Foundation. Consequently they gained right to access incentives from the Ministry of Agriculture and to receive an additional 0,50 BAM for each 1 BAM received by BHWI Foundation. Education of physical therapist Zenica This project is one of the most successfully examples of very good co-operation of three sectors (state, non governmental and private) working together. Besides the initial fund for education of 5 young women received from BHWI Foundation, additional funding was received from Municipality for their travel costs exam fees, exam without which they cannot get employment in own profession. The certificates received after the exam are entered into individual employment books issued by the employment centre. Education was taking place at the private physiotherapy salon as well as public hospital where beneficiaries were given chance to practice under supervision of professionals. All five women have passed the exam. One of them stayed to work in the private salon and one in the hospital. The remaining three beneficiaries have very good chances to start work upon the call, visiting potential patients at home and thus earning income. Re-establishment of vineyards Solidarity group of women, Hodbina

6. The advantage of the local grant maker is a great knowledge of local needs and conditions. In that sense BHWI Foundation can provide targeted support where needed, supporting both traditional and non traditional activities. This is especially important in urban or more populated areas where small business, besides favourable cost of service/goods has to offer something new to stand out in order to find its way towards customers. Pasta production, Zavidovići Production of lamps and other items of iron, Zenica Mobile hairdressers, Banjaluka Project’’ Mobile hairdressers was a traditional activity ‘with a twist’. It aim was to bring the hairdressers to the doorstep in suburban areas of Banjaluka. Besides obvious economic gain for the group of young hairdressers, project also provided valuable service for the community, especially for very young and very old persons . BHWI Foundation funded bicycles and hairdressing equipment. Production of patchwork clothing, Fashion Show, Sarajevo

7. BHWI believes in principle of Equal Opportunities. Some groups of women are discriminated on several accounts – as women, as Romas, as persons with disabilities. BHWI Foundations believe that all of us are entrepreneurs. Production of unique woollen clothes, Group of Asylum seekers, Rakovica Production of plastic items Široki Brijeg Young woman with disabilities started own business producing plastic household items and packaging Young Roma women, asylum seeker ,with completed 4 grades of primary school. She was a victim of arranged marriage and domestic violence. After being rescues from that environment, she joined group for crocheting in Asylum centre in Rakovica and started earning income from own work. Association of parents of children with special needs established Laundry service which employs three young women, two of whom are persons with special needs. All clothing items are produced under the supervision of designer who distributes products in one boutique in Sarajevo.

8. BHWI strongly supports projects of education believing that only through constant improvement of own skills and abilities women can become competitive on the job market. Depending on the actual needs of the beneficiary group as well as the demands for certain types of work, training are tailored to suit beneficiary group. They vary from tailoring courses , internships, specific types of training such as greenhouse production, accounting etc. Depending on the type of training, in principal most training are group training , followed, were necessary, by individual consultations in the field. Group of asylum seekers at the BAGAT school of tailoring , Sarajevo Group of asylum seekers at the Workshop Silk painting, Salakovac Training for women who received greenhouse from BHWI fund Women in business, training team

9. Besides education targeting women, BHWI supports projects for changes of gender policies in economic sector targeting governmental and public representatives as well as gender oriented NGOs. Job seeking skills This training focus is on the improvement of life and job seeking skills. Young women, first time job seekers, were theoretically and practically educated in the areas ofcomputing, Business administration, communication , working rights, gender rights etc. Through simulation of job interviews , writing of CVs, internet job seeking etc. they were provided with skills but also introduced to the potential dangers that might be hidden behind the job advertisements, all with the aim of making safe life decisions about own job and carrier. Gender sensitive budgeting,Sarajevo BHWI supported series of workshop ‘’Gender sensitive budgeting’’ at The municipality level in Sarajevo. The aim of the workshops was to sensitise municipal representatives (120 participants) to consider interest of women in planning and budgeting. The workshops resulted in development of the criteria for equal opportunities, and as a first step municipality Novi Grad, separated approx. 30.000,00 KM for gender related projects from budget for the next year. Further to that , the municipality has formed the Commission for gender equality that monitors gender component. It consists of the representatives of the department for displaced and refugees and the Department for economy. Offering tailored specialised training for improvement of  job seeking skills, in the case of Roma minorities means offering Basic literacy training. Basic literacy skills

10. Fondacija BH inicijativa žena BHWI Foundation Sarajevo, Fra Anđela Zvizdovića 1B/7, UNITIC Tower Tel: ++ 387 33 295 416 Fax: ++ 387 33 295 418 E-mail: sekretarijat@bhwifoundation.com.ba