Week of Compassion Helps to (Re)Build a Village

Thursday, September 20, A.D. 2007

In December 2006, Church World Service, in partnership with Week of Compassion, launched the multi-year “Build a Village” development program in the municipality of Bosansko Grahovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in response to the desires of local people to strengthen their capabilities to lead their own development. Build a Village seeks to improve livelihoods in these struggling post-war rural communities in a sustainable, holistic and participatory manner. The goal is to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life through an integrated rural development strategy designed to gradually address local priority needs. The Build a Village approach concentrates on both short and long-term development objectives as Week of Compassion, Church World Service and local partners work alongside organized community groups to effectuate positive change. Returnees to Bosansko Grahovo play a key role in identifying and prioritizing their own needs, as well as designing responses that leverage local and international resources.

Bosansko Grahovo is the neediest municipality in all of Bosnia and Herzegovina, having suffered massive war-time destruction estimated at 97%. Despite considerable reconstruction, most villages in the area still lack electricity, running water, or access to health services. Today, over ten years after the war, those who returned to the area managed to reconstruct their houses, and most have livestock and barns to cover their immediate food needs. However, reconstruction of livelihoods is proceeding much slower. More than 90% of all returnees are still unemployed. Agriculture, which was once a supplemental source of income, is now the only source of income for the returnee population. Of the 1000 families living in the municipality, 700 (2100 people) secure their livelihoods through farming. Over 80% of current returnees are farmers whose homes were destroyed, along with their barns, livestock, and farming equipment. Farmers lost the markets to sell their products, do not receive any support for investment, and consequently, are incapable of employing others.

To confront these harsh social and economic realities, the Build a Village program identified four specific, sustainable development projects. Disciples, through Week of Compassion, have been instrumental in providing support for all these projects:

- Veterinary Service so that the precious livestock remain healthy and are well cared for; establishing a
- Milk Cooperative so the returnees can begin to generate an income and regain their dignity;
- Primary Health Care so that those in the community receive basic health and medical attention; and the establishment of a
- Community Entrepreneur Fund so families participating in Build a Village are able to overcome the hardships of their daily struggle to survive. The flexible revolving structure of the Fund helps community members identify income opportunities, organize trainings, perform evaluations, and make investment decisions. The returns from the Fund are then re-invested into the community.

The Build a Village program is increasing the self-reliance of local people to provide for their own food needs, plan for long-term solutions, and create innovative and locally appropriate income-generating activities. We Disciples should be extremely proud of our participation in this integrative, sustainable, and holistic development program. Together with both Church World Service and local Bosnian organizations and partners, we are, truly, making a difference in an entire war-torn municipality! Thanks to all those who have contributed to providing hope and healing in this program. Stay tuned for more progress reports!

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