Bosnia Herzegovina
Families receive rotary cultivators from CRS. Photo by CRS staff
In 1992, Yugoslavia broke apart in wars that saw intense inter-ethnic violence, atrocities and bloodshed. In Bosnia-Herzegovina, an estimated 250,000 people were killed, more than 200,000 wounded and 13,000 permanently disabled. By the time the war ended in 1995, more than half the population of 4.4 million had been displaced. Fifteen years after the war ended, for many of its Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim), Serb and Croat citizens, Bosnia remains a country divided. With high unemployment, divisive ethnic politics, ineffective government structures, and more than 46,800 families still displaced from their pre-war homes and communities, Bosnia-Herzegovina is a nation struggling to overcome the wounds of war.
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Stats
| Population: | 4,622,163 (July 2011 est.) |
| Size: | 19,767 sq. mi.; slightly smaller than West Virginia |
| People Served: | 29,241 (2011 est.) |
History
During the siege of Sarajevo, CRS provided food, water, medicine and other life-sustaining assistance to the city's trapped population. Following the war, our work focused on post-war reconstruction and household economy recovery. Today, CRS works with local organizations creating permanent housing solutions for war-displaced people, raising teenagers' awareness about the dangers of human trafficking, and encouraging young people to take a more active part in the life of their communities. In this war-haunted country, CRS also supports the efforts of Bosnians who are promoting reconciliation between and among the country's three communities.
Partners
Comprised of fourteen local non-profit organizations all over the country, the NGO Social Support Network works with Catholic Relief Services on programs that create permanent and sustainable solutions for war-displaced families who have been living in makeshift accommodations since the war's end in 1995. This strong network of grassroots organizations is one of the cornerstones of CRS' successful return programming because of the highly individualized approach they bring to the services and assistance they provide to long-displaced people—before, during and after permanent housing solutions are found for them.
