Project Managers: Michel Ramond and Bernadine Wolford Sarajevo Balkans Relief Mission Balkans Relief Mission was formulated during the Yugoslavian War for the purpose of visiting refugee camps, military hospitals and children's centers in Croatia and Slovenia during which time they performed musical and drama shows for children as well as supplied food, clothing, school supplies and medicine. Their work later expanded to include Bosnia (1995), where they have been conducting post war trauma therapy in the form of musical and drama performances for children, perform drug prevention programs in schools, provide free English & Computer literacy lessons to primary school children, as well as supply humanitarian aid and work with the Bosnian Red Cross. Their musical team has performed concerts at SFOR (NATO) bases for thousands of soldiers with the purpose of boosting the morale of peacekeeping troops stationed in Bosnia. During the 1998-99 period, they also did mine awareness programs in schools in conjunction with SFOR and UN police.	.
	Bernadine teaching at the Breza vocational center.

Meaningful musical performances, left at youth club, and at right a show at a primary school.

Our song & drama team performs shows centered on various themes such as Drug Prevention or Mine Awareness, etc. These programs take place before audiences numbering in size from hundreds to thousands, and in locations ranging from primary schools and kindergartens to camps for Kosovar refugees or Bosnian “displaced persons”, to SFOR bases of NATO peacekeepers. In almost all situations, one of the most popular songs is "Peace In The Midst Of The Storm" in the local language!

In the aftermath of the civil war that ravaged Bosnia in the 1990s, drug abuse is a major problem among the youth, who face a very bleak future. To help counter the problem, we conduct drug awareness and prevention programs in schools. Working in cooperation with local government officials, we have already reached hundreds of young students, teachers, and school directors through these programs, as well as conducting follow up conversational English classes for teenage students.

We performed a series of shows in Sarajevo “Old Town” primary schools and received a tremendous response from the students and school staff. Even though the theme of the program is a serious one, the shows are kept upbeat and fun for the young students. It’s wonderful to see the kids’ reaction, happy smiles, and laughter during these shows, while meanwhile absorbing such a needed message.

Children's Vocational Center

Breza, located 30 kms outside of Sarajevo, is a town very affected by the war, where unemployment is extremely high, the educational infrastructure weak, and availability of sports activities and equipment lacking. When we were in Breza presenting our Mine Awareness and Drug Prevention programs in the schools of that area, the local authorities requested our help, which led to us organizing a program of vocational activities, conducted exclusively by our BRM team, and presented without cost to the community.

The local Red Cross provided the facilities: an office, classroom, furniture and a blackboard, as well as kitchen and bathroom facilities.

Bernadine teaching at the Breza vocational center.

Opening of Breza vocational center - The mayor (second from left) came for the inauguration of the project

The Breza Vocational Center project operates under the umbrella of the Bosnian Red Cross, while we handle the subject curriculum. The Red Cross have expressed their appreciation and told us how important this program is for the children attending and also for the parents and teachers. A large display on "Special Activities" with photos and captions hangs in their office, most of the photos focusing on our Vocational Center.

Students showing off their Certificates of Attendance & Satisfactory Progress at end of term.

Here we have just made a trip to Croatia where picked up a donation of 50 large boxes of new warm winter clothing that had been donated by companies in Sweden. We coordinated the donation for the Bosnian Red Cross (Breza center), and the president of the Red Cross and staff expressed their appreciation for this donation. Some of the nice sweaters were used as prizes for the Mine Awareness program contest we participated in.

Computer Training

Partnering with “P’tit coups de mains” from Paris, we were able to install 16 computers at 3 local primary schools and one high school in the Breza municipality. Another 10 computers were installed at the Breza Red Cross center, which allows us to expand our vocational project to include basic computer knowledge and skills.

Other Balkans Relief Mission Programs

Balkans Relief Mission team in front of a Kosovan refugee camp after a show for the children.	Michel and Bernadine (right) during distribution of aid to Kosovan refugees near Sarajevo. We gave clothing, toys, toothbrushes, etc., to about 500 that day.
Michel and Daniel (16, front row left) with SFOR and International UN police officers during mine awareness programs in schools. The two girls are translators.	Bernadine singing during a show at one of the many schools we visited. This school has about 1000 students and we held mine awareness and drug prevention programs.

Thank you letter from the local Red Cross. Our team helped with giving aid many times during the past 4 years, as well as helping with their Drug Prevention Program.

Thank you letter from United Nations, International Police Task Force.

Activities at "Suncokret" (Sunflower) youth center in Sarajevo were all conducted by BRM volunteers.

Monthly Programs for Underprivileged Children & Youth

Each month, groups of children and teenagers are invited to enjoy fun and meaningful performances and activities. With the help of local sponsors we are able to provide snacks and refreshments as well as small gifts for the children attending. We are also providing transportation for groups of children when needed.

Originally, this program started (March 2003) with the idea of providing underprivileged children with birthday celebrations, offered free of charge to them and their peers from either orphanages, refugee centers or other institutions.

Since it has been highly appreciated and acclaimed as a worthwhile program by different local organizations and authorities such as the Mayor of Sarajevo, we have decided to continue this project and extend it to include physically & mentally challenged children & youth.

Email: fcf@familycare.org
Copyright 1997-2007 by Family Care Foundation


Click here to donate a car, truck, RV or other vehicle, or boat, to further our charity work.