In the next five years, the BiH Association from Derby should not have to worry about continuing its work and providing advice and assistance to both citizens from the former Yugoslavia and refugees from all over the world! Namely, the British National Lottery awarded our BiH association a five-year grant worth more than half a million pounds in July to continue activities related to promoting positive and successful integration into this society.
Given the overall economic situation in the UK and the many uncertainties surrounding Brexit, many are surprised by this news. It is the result of many years of positive business as well as the efforts and commitment of the manager of the Bosnian Centre in Derby, Ferid Kevrić, the Board of Directors of the Association and the Derby Refugee Forum, and other employees and volunteers in the project.
The Bosnian-Herzegovinian Association helped to create a partner organization, the Derby Refugee Forum, which was formed in 2002 and has been based in our Bosnian center since then. The two organizations have developed a very positive relationship and work together on projects and apply for grants together. What is being done in the Association is the result of many years of excellent work, security in implementing projects, good organization and work of the Board of Directors and the staff of both the Bosnian-Herzegovinian Association and the Derby Refugee Forum.
This current project is worth around £500,000. This is, in fact, the fruit of the previous joint work of the two organisations and an expansion of the previous project as well as the pilot projects that the BiH Association as the lead organisation and the Derby Refugee Forum started in an earlier project and which will be further developed and better quality services will be provided to users, and its aim is to help citizens who need help from the areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the former Yugoslavia and live in Derby, Nottingham, Leicester, to improve their health status, to integrate into life in the UK as easily as possible.
Another aspect of the project is to work with the Derby Refugee Forum to help refugees from all countries through advice, filling out forms, providing English language classes, training to improve employment opportunities, support through providing a weekly food package, clothing, connecting with the local community. All of these activities will facilitate and accelerate integration into this society and create circumstances for most families and individuals to become independent of the services and assistance they have sought and received.
At the Annual Assembly, BH UK Network officially praised the successful work of the BiH Association in Derby and thanked its friends in Derby for their hard work and effort, and also congratulated them, wished them success in their work, and presented them with an award for a new project and grant.
Bosnia UK Network
