www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
2015
CHARITY ORGANIZATION SERBS FOR SERBS
Monthly Report for March www.serbsforserbs.org
Monthly Report for March
Monthly Report No. 3 March, 2015 Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS Website: www.serbsforserbs.org E-Mail: office@serbsforserbs.org
Monthly Report for March Dear friends and donors, Charity organization Serbs for Serbs registered in the state of Illinois in United States in Jun 2010 by the group of the Serbian youth. Charity organization Serbs for Serbs is a 501(c)(3) notfor-profit charitable organization. Donation is tax-deductible to the extent followed by the law. On 30th September, 2011 we finally got the letter from department of the treasury (IRS) with tax exempt 501(c)3 approval. All donations to our organization donated from June 16, 2010 are tax deductible under section 170 of the Code. We are also qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers of gifts under section 2055, 2106 or 2522 of the Code.
About Us The mission of Charity organization Serbs for Serbs is to affect on consciousness of Americans, Serbs and their friends through planned projects, social and humanitarian activities in order to develop and foster better society for future generations and provide aid for underprivileged families in need. Although there are many humanitarian organizations and associations, help often doesn't reach the most jeopardized. Due to unnecessary administration, missing information and slow decision making, the delivery of aid arrives too late to the final consumers, or not at all. It is a sad and embarrassing, but true fact that more than 18.000 children daily die around the world because of starvation and malnutrition. There, among us, the blind and deaf. We are witnesses of the bad demographic situation of our nation, decreasing natality, increasing number of singles, abortions, accelerated aging of
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 the population and generally bad economic condition of the households in Serbia, Republic of Srpska and other countries in the Balkan. An average couple has "fallen" on one child. Analysts warn that Serbs will become a minority in its own country in the following century if the nation, individuals and government don't wake up from the nescient in which they've fallen! On the other hand, nobody is talking about the families with many children which grieve by living in bitter poverty. Occupied by their everyday struggle for survival, they are being humbly in their desire for implementing rights which belong to them. Their life stories, fears and problems are identical, but almost invisible and unheard in order to gain the attention of the public, media and even state. That's why the idea of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs arose. The organization was formed by a group of young and trustful people, who are united by the common vision of helping families blessed by many children and who are aware of the fact that even a small help means a lot for those who don't live in a material excess. We are united by the humane idea to help the poorest part of the Serbian nation. Charity organization Serbs for Serbs try to revive the spiritless energy of the Serbian Diaspora which would be able to reinforce people of Serbian heritage as well as all good people throughout the world with minimal, but constant monthly donations. We hope and believe that there is also a grain of doing good and that you will join us in the endless struggle against poverty. God bless and save all Serbian families with many children and our honored donors who participate in the noble effort to return smile on children faces.
CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE!
www.serbsforserbs.org
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March Ambitions
Our mission The mission of Charity organization Serbs for Serbs is to affect on consciousness of Serbian people through our projects and humanitarian activities, in order to develop better society for future generations. Why Serbs for Serbs? We wanted to alleviate impaired spirit of Serbian people in togetherness and brotherhood help through humanitarian work and social aid. Who do we help? We help Serbian families who live in the Balkans, have five or more children and live in terrible poverty. Under terrible poverty we define absence of one or more basic factors required for living: food, clothes, shoes, and safe space for living.
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 Who do we need in organization? We need members and donors that will secure financial stability through supporting our programs and activities in the future. Donors may join our daily activities within the organization in order to coordinate our work better. We also need volunteers ready to donate several hours per week for actual work within the organization. Activities of volunteers and their specific tasks would be determined by the required projects and their personal interest. From that group of volunteers we would look for future leaders of organization.
How to donate? 1. PayPal donation: szsamerika@gmail.com 2. Direct Deposit to Wells Fargo Bank account Please email us at: szsamerika@gmail.com 3. You can mail personal or business check to: Serbs for Serbs PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 4. Donation boxes: BEOGRAD CAFÉ 2937 West Irving Park Road Chicago, Illinois Owner: Dule Pavlovic
Why do we help? We believe that there is a basic need for one human (or a group) to help others in distress. A help is not only human virtue but also a Christian responsibility. By focusing our help on families with many children, we directly affect on their stirring toward becoming independent from socialdependable government programs.
NADA’S DELI & BAKERY 7316 West Lawrence Avenue Harwood Heights, Illinois
What are our long term goals? • family is ready to support itself daily and manage to pay all required expenses; • their children are encouraged to continue with school and raising their own family; • our donors are satisfied with the activities and they are ready to help other families; • our organization is satisfied with the results; • family is ready in the future to become our donor and if necessary help other families that are in need of help.
COMPASS FUEL STATION 8147 Joliet Road McCook, Illinois Owner: Roy and Maria Dobrasinovic
BALKAN BAKERY 541 South LaGrange Road LaGrange, Illinois Owner: Olja Igic
ST. NIKOLA CHURCH 4301 Prairie Ave. Brookfield, Illinois CITY FRESH MARKET 3201 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60659
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
DOUBLE DECK BEDS FOR NIKOLIC LITTLE ONES
Rastko and Ognjen on their new beds Having previously visited and met the Nikolic family, members of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS successfully carried out another action in the territory of the city of Prijedor. The Nikolic family was provided with two double deck beds with mattresses. To remind you, the Nikolic family is a six-member family, consisting of the parents, Danko and Snezana, and their four children, Ognjen (12), Andrea (6), Marina (3) and Rastko (1). The total value of the aid delivered was 1,187.60 BAM.
Andrea and Marina diligently making their beds
In the end, we wish to convey greetings and gratitude to all donors of our organization from the Nikolic family. We also wish to invite all donors and friends of the organization to support the work of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs in the way they can.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March WHEN AID REAVHES RIGHT HANDS
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 Not long ago, their home was filled with joy again, because they were visited by the representatives of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs, in charge of the southeast Serbia, with the local activist and laboratory technician, Novica Cvetkovic, and they donated them a wood-burning stove. “We’re thrilled because we’ve managed to repair our house in such a short time and generate some income so our children wouldn’t starve any more. I wish to thank all good people from abroad, our immigrants, who have given us new life and created prerequisites for a fresh start by making contributions. When we were first visited by the Vesti reporters, we only had one room. I gave birth to twins, who slept on a mattress, we struggled daily to provide milk for them, and we borrowed linen so I could make diapers for them.
The Stojiljkovic family with five children, from the hamlet of Berivojstica in the Golemo village, about thirty kilometers from Vranje, had been a wretched, poor and unfortunate family, before they received donations from benefactors from the diaspora, noble readers of the “Vesti” and the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs. Today they have become independent and happy, having used all aid received to make a better future for their children – they have found their feet by starting a business in goat-breeding, and finally they have repaired their unfinished home. There could probably be no better news for us in the “Humanitarian bridge” section of the “Vesti”, or for numerous people who had also been sending them a piece of themselves through their selfless contributions for months. In only six months, the head of the family, Slobodan (37), and his young wife, Sanja (28), managed to provide a more certain future for their five children: Luka (9), Lazar (8), Marija (5) and seven-month-old twins Petar and Pavle.
New wood-burning stove for Stojiljkovic family
We lived on welfare and child benefit, which is the sum of 16,000RSD, or 140 Euros per month. Our main source of income was mushroom picking and when the year was good, we could afford to buy flour and other basic necessities. Today, having a flock of sheep, bought for us by good people from abroad, we have started to live off our work and our own hands. It was the goats, not the money that was at a forefront of our mind, so we could start making an income and live like all other people. Why expect charity when we are all healthy, thank God, and we can go forward on our own. All we needed was a little boost, and we got it from humane people,” says cheerful Sanja.
Mother Sanja with her daughter, Marija, beside their old stove
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
Children gather flock
The crown of love
Thanks to benefactors from the diasporas, the Stojiljkovic family now has a flock, consisting of nine nannies and a ram.
Young mother, Sanja, tells us of the time Petar and Pavle were born. “I gave birth in hospital in Nis, on July 9, 2014. The birth wasn’t easy, that’s why I was transferred to Nis. We hadn’t planned on having twins, but it was God’s will. What’s important is that they are alive and well, and since they were born on the day before St Petar’s Day, we decided to name them Petar and Pavle. Back then, the five of us didn’t have enough money for food, let alone other things. Now the old rule reapplies that children are never an excess, but they are the biggest joy in life and the crown of our love,” says the housewife Sanja.
They provided food for them for the entire winter and started producing cheese. “Today we have several types: fresh cheese, ricotta cheese and cheese preserved in oil. We have conditions to store them in utility rooms in my home village of Tumba, at the foot of the Kukavica Mountain and that’s where the cheese production starts. We invite all people of good will, if they ever find themselves in this craggy area, to come and taste our cheese which is also theirs as well,” emphasizes the host, Slobodan. Thanks to the CO Serbs for Serbs, who read about their unfortunate situation on the “Vesti” portal, the family was helped in a concrete way: the necessary interior works were done and the rooms where they could live were furnished, and they were provided with kitchen appliances. In this way, they got one more room, hall, bathroom, washing machine, cupboards, wardrobe, and now a wood-burning stove.
We invite all people of good will to continue supporting the work of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS and thus help and give joy to numerous children in need. Hard-working and smiling Marija Stojiljkovic
CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE!
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March SFS VISITED KRSMANOVIC FAMILY
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 The father, Goran, is a former football player, and now, having graduated from the Faculty of Theology, he works as a Religion teacher. His wife, Tanja, is unemployed. In her free time, Tanja makes very interesting icons on Biber plain clay tiles, which she sells in order to increase the budget of this modest, but hardworking family.
In mid-May, members of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS visited the nine-member Krsmanovic family from Zabrezje in Obrenovac. Goran and Tanja have seven children: Teodora (13), Stefan (10), Djordje (8), Jovan (5), Filip (3), Andrej (2) and Anastasija (1), and soon they are to take a foster child into their home.
Part of the house with icons of the family Krsmanovic
Arable land near their home, where the greenhouse is planned to be set up The Krsmanovic family owns 1ha of land, which they lease, but they also have a piece of land which is close to their home and this is where they expressed a wish to make a greenhouse. They would use the greenhouse to grow healthy food for their children but they could also sell fruit or vegetables to improve their financial situation. WHIT FAIT IN GOD!
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
We invite all people of good will to continue supporting the work of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS and thus help and give joy to numerous children in need.
CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE! Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March PROJECT WHICH PEOPLE TRUST AND SUPPORT
For years, Serbs have had a global charity organization. By choosing the name, its founders have, actually, written the shortest program. It consists of only three words, Serbs for Serbs. In terms of organization, young people form the backbone of the organization Serbs for Serbs. The majority of them live in diasporas – in the west European countries and overseas. In their work they use modern means of communication, primarily the Internet. At the official website, they have to account for each and every collected and invested Serbian dinar, Euro, US dollar, Swiss franc, Convertible mark.
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 Diaspora: First among equals who have built and affirmed the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs, is the President Igor Rasula. At the beginning of the interview, we ask Igor what he considers to be the most valuable result of the work of this organization. Igor Rasula: The most valuable result of the hard work of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs is the fact that, in the past ten years of dedicated charity work, we’ve helped more than 1 400 Serbian families with many children which together count up to several tens of thousands of children. The organization was launched with the aim of helping only one family, and with God’s help the number of those whom we help is increasing almost every day. Thanks to numerous donors throughout the world, today, dozens of families live in their warm homes, children sleep in their own beds, the food is prepared on an electric or a wood stove, they have their own bathroom, refrigerator, washing machine, they have water and electricity supply in the house, the roof does not leak, perhaps for the first time they even got their own bedroom, a desk, a wardrobe, a toy, a computer... Many parents, today, are able to provide their children a glass of fresh cow or goat milk, they have a tractor to work on the field and earn for themselves. Many families received fresh hope and faith to fight for themselves and their offspring, and to stay where they are, on their fatherland.
Here is several data as an illustration. On the bank accounts of the organization, up to March 6, 2015, there was 6 010 433 RSD, 86 031 BAM, 34 821 CHF, €19 183, $36 901. Since 2006, €1,137,166 has been raised. So far, this year, €35 970 has been raised, and the goal that they have set for themselves is to raise 250 000 € (the data is taken from the official website of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs).
One, aided over 1,400 families Diaspora: People trust you. It wasn’t exactly a simple and easy job to build confidence, the more so as the work of numerous humanitarian organizations in the Diaspora has been misused in the Homeland, or by those who have allegedly been the benefactors. So, we want to hear your thoughts on how you managed to gain the trust of the benefactors throughout the world and primarily Serbs? Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March Igor Rasula: The truth is that in the past ten years of hard and persistent work, we have gained the trust of the Serbian people in the homeland, the region, but especially in the Diaspora through hundreds of implemented actions to help disadvantaged families. This trust and support that we have is not something that is everlasting, but it is put to the test and examined almost every day, both by the old and the new donors. It is very important that people are able to check on where, when and how the collected donations are being spent, because in humanitarian work and activities there should not be any secrets nor hidden information. All the actions that we undertake to help the families, and the collection and expenditure of funds are transparent and always open to control and verification, primarily through our official website www.srbizasrbe.org and our popular Facebook page www.facebook.com/srbizasrbe. There are also monthly reports which we are required to send to all donors.
Diaspora: Following your work, we know that you have had problems to set up a part of the organization in Belgrade. What’s the situation today, have you encountered any understanding from the authorities in the Homeland and homeland countries? Igor Rasula: Unfortunately, the relationship with the authorities in the Homeland and the region has not changed much, either positively or negatively. On our part we are trying to make contact and establish cooperation with the representatives of local authorities in municipalities, of ministries of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska, but so far there have been no definite discussions on numerous open issues that socially disadvantaged families, but also the entire Serbian nation, are facing.
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 We hope that the current and any future authorities will have a better understanding and a willingness to engage in projects of our organization that aim to provide direct and concrete help to Serbian families and above all their children. Of course, I must emphasize the fact that, on March 5 of this year, we received the long sought humanitarian SMS number (7763) in Serbia, where we above all received support from the company Telekom Serbia, and Telenor and VIP as well. This kind of support from the state owned company Telekom Serbia but also the private ones like Telenor and VIP is commendable and appreciated, because precisely such form of donating will, in the future, enable us to help more families who desperately need help.
Diaspora: This journal has supported your organization from the beginning. As your work is drawing the attention of the wider Serbian public, it can be noticed that the media with national frequencies in the Homeland are not turning their backs on you. Can this also be observed in the results of your work in the Homeland from the point of raising funds or is the number of families in need of social aid, that turn to your organization, increasing? Igor Rasula: Support of the Diaspora journal to our organization was more than significant, especially at the very beginning of our humanitarian work and action. As for the media in the Homeland, with national frequencies, things are changing in a positive direction, mainly thanks to the willingness and self-initiative of journalists to invite us as guests in their programs and to present already implemented and scheduled projects of the organization. We were the most present in the media during floods in May last year, when we organized and distributed great help to flooded families in the Republic of Srpska and Serbia, a value of over half a million euro’s. Our growing presence in the media certainly reflects on the increase in collected donations but also on a dramatic rise in the number of people and families turning to us for help.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 Diaspora: In the past years, have you managed to establish cooperation with national humanitarian organizations in the countries in which your own organization operates? Igor Rasula: Certainly, in our charity work so far, we have made contact and cooperation with numerous related humanitarian organizations with whom we have together provided a very large help for Serbian people throughout the Balkans. We work actively with over 50 organizations in Serbia, Republic of Srpska, in Montenegro, FYR Macedonia and numerous Serbian communities and charities around the world. Results of such cooperation are tens of thousands underprivileged children who have been helped.
Diaspora: By committing to provide financial support to Serbs in the Balkan countries, your organization has, in the nicest possible way, brought to life a verse of the poet Aleksa Santic: And wherever there is a Serbian soul / to me, that is where my Fatherland is. How do you choose the people you are helping? Igor Rasula: We come to a decision on which families to help in a variety of ways. Starting with information we get through the media, then contact with priests and monks of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the local eparchies, through recommendations of friends and donors of our organization, as well as direct requests we get from the families. We try to reach the most remote regions inhabited by Serbian children who need the help of our organization. Unfortunately, we fail to help all the people who turn to us for help and that’s why we are often forced to refer the families to other organizations with which we also collaborate or to those organizations for which we know to provide the necessary assistance. We work and we will work hard in the future to increase even more our help to the Serbian people throughout the Balkans, in order to preserve the verses by Santic we brought to life.
Diaspora: You’ve mentioned the priests and monks of the Serbian Orthodox Church. How do you, otherwise, assess the collaboration with the Orthodox Church in general? Igor Rasula: The collaboration of our organization and the Serbian Orthodox Church is very active and concrete, especially in Kosovo and Metohija, Raska region, Montenegro and Krajina, specifically in the form of obtaining information about the families who need help, followed by supplying and distribution of necessary assistance. As I have mentioned, we maintain the collaboration with the priests and monks, because everyone in their own region and area has a better overview of the situation, the infrastructure, the organization of work and help for the endangered families. For example, in the Metohija region we have been collaborating most with the brotherhood of the monastery Visoki Decani, in Montenegro with the brotherhood of the monastery of Ostrog, in Krajina with the brotherhood of the monastery Ocestvo and Krka, and in the Raska region with the brotherhood of the monastery Djurdjevi Stupovi. Certainly, we have been receiving the necessary support and blessing from the relevant episcopes in a certain region which we are planning to help.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March In addition, we have been receiving a lot of help and support from the local priests of the Serbian Orthodox Church who are even more present within the people and have the information on whom exactly is the help necessary. Above all, our organization has been working with the blessings of the Serbian Patriarch Irinej since 2011.
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 With the help of donors and friends around the world, we will try to expand and strengthen our organization even more so that we can tackle the numerous problems and temptations which thousands of socially disadvantaged multiple-child families, as well as the entire Serbian nation, are facing.
Diaspora: Your organization, at the beginning, pointed to the low birth rate issue in Serbian national corps. You’ve decided to financially help families with five and more children. Thereby, you’ve taken over part of the work that the State should have, not to say had to, devise and implement and thus bring to life. The impression is that this aspect of your help was left in the background. What is the reason for this, is it the increased number of Serbian families who are in need of social aid so the funds are not sufficient for all the needs, or is it the disappointment of activists of the organization who encounter lack of understanding of the authorities in the home country of Serbs as well as in other countries where Serbs live? Igor Rasula: The primary goal our organization, aimed to help, continues to be directed towards families with five or more children throughout the Serbian countries. As the organization grows and develops, thus we see a growing need to lower and correct criteria regarding the number of children, and again everything in order to help as many families whom the slightest help of our organization represents a huge unburdening from the everyday needs, expenses and costs which they have concerning children and the household. We are witnesses that numerous families we helped, after our actions of aid, got one or two children more in the family and thus proving that our help was really expedient and to the welfare of the family as well as the entire Serbian nation, who is, as you know, in danger of rapid extinction.
Humanitarian organization Serbs for Serbs celebrated St. Vasilije
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March NEW BIG AID ACTION IN REPABLIC OF SRPSKA
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 Beside the flood, the Elcic family from Batkovic had a fire in their family home. After the aid received from our organization, the house was completely reconstructed.
During November, December and January, the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS delivered the third part of the valuable humanitarian aid to 26 families with children from Bijeljina and Sekovici, whose homes were damaged in the May floods in 2014, but also to one poor family with five children from Han Pijesak. As part of the FIGHT AGAINST FLOODS action, the families received aid in the form of repairing and upgrading houses, building greenhouses, providing sofas, bunk beds, kitchen cabinets, laminate, doors and windows, seeds, animal feed, appliances and other furniture in the total value of 30,079 BAM.
The Aleksic family from the village of Batkovic got two greenhouses
The Elcic family in front of their new home
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
The Cabic family from Ostojicevo received a wardrobe
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
The Milic family from Sekovici received a double bed and bunk bed for the children
The Coric family from Sekovici was provided with lamb concentrate
The Malesevic family from Velino selo was provided with 1 ton of corn and a couch
1 ton of corn for the Malesevic family household
A bunk bed for the Milic little ones from Sekovici
The Milutinovic family from the village of Pucile received a couch and laminate for their house
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
The laminate flooring installed in the living room of the Milutinovic home
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
The Petrovic family from the village of Dvorovi received a wardrobe for their home
The Teofilovic family from Bijeljina received 50m2 of laminate The Panic family from Velino selo received a couch
The state of the Teofilovic family home in Bijeljina before the laminate flooring installation A pigsty was upgraded for the Pepic family household from Batkovic
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
1 ton of corn for the Tomanic household The Stevanovic family house after all the work has been done Families provided with furniture:
The Tomic family from Pucila received a PVC door and windows for their family home
The Zekic family from Sekovici received animal feed for their farm
The Stevanovic family from Amajlije was helped by adding a story and finishing the roof on their house Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 5. Pavlovic R. (one child) – a couch (164 BAM) 6. Knezevic Z. (two children) – kitchen cabinets (250 BAM) 7. Pavlovic J. (two children) – a table with chairs (408 BAM) The village of Ostojicevo 8. Cabric D. (two children) – a wardrobe (230 BAM) 9. Krstic M. (three children) – 100 kg wheat seed (85 BAM) The village of Pucile 10. Milutinovic N. (a baby) – a couch (164 BAM) and 42m2 of laminate (563 BAM) 11. Djurkic N. (three children) – a bunk bed and wardrobe (540 BAM) 12. Lazarevic S. (two children) – a bunk bed with mattresses (540 BAM) 13. Tomic S. (two children) – a door and windows (500 BAM) Velino selo 14. Manojlovic G. (two children) – 400 kg of wheat seed (340 BAM) 15. Tomanic Z. (two children) – 1 ton of corn (370 BAM) and a wardrobe (230 BAM) 16. Panic M. (three children) – a couch (164 BAM) 17. Malesevic J. (two children) – 1 ton of corn (370 BAM) and a couch (164 BAM) The village of Amajlije
The youngest are most glad to new bunk bed
18. Srdic M. (five children) – house upgrade, roof construction and sheet-metal works – materials (8,244 BAM) and workers’ wages (5,630 BAM) 19. Stevanovic S. (three children) – roof construction and sheet-metal works (1,287 BAM) 20. Stanojlovic Z. (four children) – two couches (328 BAM)
The complete list of families who were helped:
Bijeljina (the city)
The village of Batkovic
21. Teofilovic O. (two children) – 50m2 of laminate (670 BAM) 22. Savanovic D. (one child) – a couch (164 BAM)
1. Elcic A. (two children) – roof construction (2,307 BAM) and workers’ wages (1,800 BAM) 2. Pepic D. (two children) – pigsty upgrade (939 BAM) 3. Aleksic M. (three children) – donation of two Greenhouses (880 BAM) 4. Gajic D. (two children) – two couches (328 BAM)
The village of Dvorovi 23. Petrovic M. (three children) – a wardrobe (230 BAM)
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
Sekovici 24. Djordjic LJ. (two children) – Lamb concentrate (156 BAM) 25. Zekic G. (three children) – animal feed (94 BAM) 26. Milic S. (two children) – a double bed (199 BAM) and bunk bed with mattresses (465 BAM) Han Pijesak 27. Lucic V. (five children) – freezer (510 BAM), two bunk beds with mattresses (930 BAM) – aid action unrelated to floods The start of the works on the upgrade:
The srdic family from Amajlije The Srdic family from Amajlije consists of five children and their single father, who supports them. They were provided with finances for the upgrade and completion of the upper story of the family house. Donors as well as members of the organization Serbs for Serbs from Canada took part in the aid action in the total value of 2,200 Euros.
The Srdic family house before the construction works started Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 Also, the organization helped a family who was not hit by the floods. It is the eight-member Lucic family from Han Pijesak, who received a donation in the form of a freezer and two bunk beds with mattresses. Members of the family are the parents, Vladimir and Bosiljka, and the children: Milovan (10), Miljan (8), Bojan (5), Goran (3), Bojana (2) and the youngest, Marko (1).
The big FIGHT AGAINST FLOODS action continues. The Charity organization Serbs for Serbs calls upon all fraternal organizations, donors and people of good will in Serbia and worldwide to get involved in the action by donating money into one of the accounts of the organization – www.srbizasrbe.org/donacije. Also, you can look at the reports on the aid delivered to PARACIN, TRSTENIK, VALJEVO, KRALJEVO, OBRENOVAC, SVILAJNAC, VELIKI CRLJENI, KRUPANJ, VELIKI CRLJENI PART 2, OBRENOVAC PART 2, OBRENOVAC PART 3, BIJELJINA, BIJELJINA PART 2, OBRENOVAC PART 4, OBRENOVAC PART 5, OBRENOVAC PART 6, DOBOJ, OBRENOVAC PART 7, OBRENOVAC PART 8, PRIJEDOR, SEKOVICI, BANJALUKA, SMEDEREVSKA PALANKA, KRUPANJ PART 2, and LOPARE. Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
CHRISTMAS AID DELIVERY IN KOSMET
The Mihajlovic family with donated goats and goat kids In the village of Rabovce, the Mihajlovic family was provided with goats with kids and a wood-burning stove. The parents, Bosko and Jelena, have two daughters: Andjela (10) and Maja (8). During February and March this year, the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS delivered aid to 18 socially disadvantaged families from Kosovo and Metohija. We had previously visited the families as part of the Christmas action and established the most useful way of helping them. As always, we owe big gratitude to our friends from EHO Majka devet Jugovica, whose cooperation enabled us to deliver the aid directly to the disadvantaged families. The value of the aid delivered was 1,200,000 RSD.
Bosko Mihajlovic, beside their new wood-burning stove
The grateful Savic family from Kmetovac The Savic family from Kmetovac was provided with an electric stove, three-door wardrobe and bunk bed with mattresses. The family consists of the parents, Bojan and Ivana, and their two children: Isidora (7) and Mateja (6).
Viktor with his mom, Mirjana Andrejevic, with their new stove and washing machine
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
In the village of Slatina, the Andrejevic family was provided with an electric stove and washing machine. The head of the household, Vlastimir, and his wife, Mirjana, have two children: Viktor (4) and Marija (2).
The Dimic family with their new wood-burning stove We provided the young married couple, Boban and Nastrija Dimic, from the village of Mogila, with a wood-burning stove. When the weather conditions improve, there is a plan of constructing a bathroom for the Dimic family, which they do not have at the moment. The Banovic family was provided with firewood In Priluzje, the Banovic family was provided with firewood. The mother, Nadica, lives with her two sons: Strahinja (30), who is unemployed, and Batric (27), who suffers from schizophrenia.
Jovica Ilic beside the donated firewood
Tomislav and Marko Canic with their new electric stove and washing machine In the village of Ljustar, the Canic family was provided with an electric stove and washing machine. The family consists of the father, Tomislav, and his son Marko, who, being 20 years old, is the youngest resident of this village.
Jovica Ilic beside the aid delivered
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
In Priluzje, the Ilic family was provided with an electric stove, firewood, and clothes, food, hygiene products and diapers for the baby. The parents, Jovica and Marija, have a baby Bozidar, who is only two months old.
The Markovic grandparents with their grandchildren, Sofija and Stefan, with their new wood-burning stove A wood-burning stove was delivered to the Krcmarevic family In the municipality of Vitina, Grncar village, a woodburning stove, refrigerator and two sofas were delivered to the Krcmarevic family.
In Staro Gradcko, the Markovic family was provided with a wood-burning stove. In a dilapidated house hit by pieces of shrapnel live the parents Milan and Ljiljana with their children Sofija (4) and Stefan (2). Three older family members also live with them. In the following period, the plan is to help the family by fitting out the bathroom, installing laminate flooring and front door.
The family consists of the mother and her three sons: Bojan (34), Srdjan (37) and Sasa (30). Bojan is married to Slavica and they have a son, Nikola (2).
A wood-burning stove for the Miladinovic family Two sofas and a refrigerator were delivered to the Krcmarevic family The Maksic family from Gorazdevac was provided with a chest freezer. The family consists of the parents, Ivan and Sanja, and their children: Aleksandar (17) and Andrea (11).
In Gornja Gusterica, the Miladinovic family was provided with a wood-burning stove, refrigerator and sofa. Goran and Sladjana have a son, Marko (23), who is married to Ana (25) and they have a one-year-old son Kristijan.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 In a place called Grizime, the Miljkovic family was provided with two bunk beds with mattresses. The parents, Zoran and Mirjana, have ten children: Jelena (23), Marko (22), Milos (21), Milan (15), Milena (13), Aleksandra (11), Dejan (9), Jovica (8), Danijela (7) and Sara, the youngest (7 months old).
A refrigerator was delivered to the Miladinovic family
A washing machine was delivered to the Piric family The Piric family, who is originally from Vitina, but has taken refuge in the village of Vrbovac, received a washing machine. Zoran Piric lives with his wife Trajanka and their two children: Marko (22) and Sasa (20). The Miladinovic family received a sofa, too
Novak and Nikolina Savic with the donated aid The multiple children Miljkovic family with two bunk beds and mattresses
NO SURRENDER!
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 In the village of Klokot, the Spasic family was provided with a wood-burning stove, wardrobe and bunk bed with mattresses. The father, Jadran, lives with his wife Vasilija and they have two children: Sergej (2) and Anastasija (9 months old).
The Savic family with the donated aid In the village of Prekovce, the Savic family was provided with an electric stove, refrigerator, sofa, table and chairs. Srecko and Ivana have two children: Novak (3) and Nikolina (2).
In the village of Sumaci, the Stankovic family was provided with an electric stove and bunk bed with mattresses. The father, Sreten, lives with his wife Nena and their three children: Milos (14), Marina (12) and Mihajlo (3).
A wood-burning stove for the Spasic family
A chainsaw was delivered to Strahinja Stasic and his son Stefan A wardrobe and bunk bed with mattresses for the Spasic family
The Stasic family from Velika Hoca was provided with a chainsaw. The parents, Strahinja and Brankica, have two children: Tamara (23) and Stefan (16).
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
Andrija and Djurdjevka Trajkovic with their grandsons Nikola and Bosko beside a tractor tiller
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
The state of the Ivkovic family house in the village of Straza in January, 2014
In the village of Dobrotin, the Trajkovic family was provided with a tractor tiller, refrigerator, sofa and wood-burning stove. Andrija and Djurdjevka have three sons: Nenad, Nebojsa and the oldest Vladica, who is married to Jelena. They have two sons: Nikola (7) and Bosko (3).
The work on the roof construction during 2014
The Trajkovic grandparents with their grandsons beside the delivered refrigerator and sofa
Completely finished the roof on Ivkovic family house
The grandson Nikola whit the new wood-burning stove
We helped the Ivkovic family from the village of Straza by completely finishing the roof construction, together with windows, chimneys, and gutters and drainpipes.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
The family consists of the parents, Ivan and Mileva and their three sons: Lazar (24), Milos (22) and Bojan (19). This family tends to grow into a real small communal household, given the fact that two sons have recently started living with their wives in this household, Lazar with his wife Jelena, and Milos with his wife Aleksandra. Hence, we have decided to provide them with additional living space, by installing a roof construction on the second floor.
The present look of the Ivkovic family house in the village of Straza
As many times before, we call upon all people of good will worldwide to support the work of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS and thus directly help the most disadvantaged families with children throughout Serbian countries. Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March AID DELIVERED TO KOSTADINOVIC FAMILY
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 Kostadinovic family lives some 20 kilometers from Banja Luka where they moved from Montenegro. The father of the family worked there, but as it was getting harder and harder to find work, they came to the capital city of the Republic of Srpska as it was the closest city to their home town Novi Grad.
In mid- March this year, members and friends of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs helped the seven-member Kostadinovic family from Banja Luka. The family consists of the parents, Sladjana and Dusko and their children: Duska (16), Teodora (11), Stefan (7), Dario (5) and the youngest one, Sara (2). The Kostadinovic family was provided with a wood burning stove, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, 100 chicks, 4 piglets, feeders and poultry feed, as well as with a care package of food and hygiene products. On this occasion, the total value of the aid delivered was 3,914 BAM. The funds to help the family were provided at a charity event in F端rth (Germany) when 2,001.70 euros was raised and earmarked for the Kostadinovic family.
Some of the groceries bought during the visit to Kostadinovic family
Dusko and Sladjana together with their youngest children, Dario and Sara
Delivered aid to Kostadinovic family
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March Initially, they lived in Banja Luka as tenants, but as they didn’t have money to pay the rent and having been 5 days late with it, the landlord evicted them and their young children. That was when priest Srdjan came to help them and with thanks to the local community he managed to place them in an abandoned house. In that house, which at the beginning looked more like a ruin, the Kostadinovic family has been living for five years. Although the property doesn’t belong to them they were forced to repair it and rebuild it to create normal living conditions for the children.
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 The oldest one, Duska is 16 years old and she goes to secondary school in Banja Luka, Teodora who is 11, and Stefan who is 7 years old, attend elementary school, but like their older sister, they have to take a bus to school. The youngest, Dario (5) and Sara (2) stay home with their mum Sladjana. Having exhausted all possibilities to provide for children’s basic needs with her husband, in despair Sladjana gave an ad saying “I receive food as a gift” which spurred the good-hearted people to help the family. With 140BAM of monthly child benefit and winter, which prevented the father of the family to work for a daily wage, she no longer knew what to do next.
Dario and Sara Kostadinovic
The second part of the food package for the youngest ones in Kostadinovic family
Delivery of the wood-burning stove, washing machine and vacuum cleaner
After the heartbreaking news published on the internet about the difficult situation the Kostadinovic family was in, the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs in Germany organized the charity event, in Fürth, to help the family, when 2,001.70 euros was raised.
Members of SFS from Germany at the charity event
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
A member of the Serbian Principality Association, who is our volunteer, was first to visit the young ones in the Kostadinovic family and was convinced of the fact that their parents are unable to provide even the most basic. The initial plan of assistance, agreed with the mother, Sladjana, was to help them with the insulation of the house, because all the heat went into the attic, to buy them a washing machine and to address the Electric Utility Company, Elektrokrajina, in written form with a request to write off part of the debt for electricity which currently amounted to 3,000 BAM.
Provided material for the insulation of the home Kostadinovic family lives in
In the meantime, the company that repeatedly helped them in the construction and repairs of the house has taken upon themselves to insulate, for what they have already brought materials and equipment.
In agreement with the parents we decided to buy them, apart from the aforementioned washing machine, a wood-burning stove, vacuum cleaner, food, chicks and piglets with necessary feed, which they will nurture and raise themselves and thus provide food for the children, in the long run.
Thanks to them, our organization could redirect to other needs of small Kostadinovic.
Provided piglets for Kostadinovic family
Delivery of poultry and swine feed in yard of family Kostadinovic
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 All members of the Kostadinovic family are grateful to the donors from Germany who provided them with better living conditions in which they will be able to provide and thus earn a living for themselves.
Chicks delivered to the Kostadinovic family
Poultry and swine feed with feeders delivered We set aside 600 BAM for the food. For chickens, pigs and their feed we spent 1,995.90 BAM, while for the rest of the money, 1,318 BAM, a washing machine, a woodburning stove and a vacuum cleaner were purchased.
With a smile, Sara Kostadinovic has escorted delivered help
Sara, Dusanka, Stefan and Teodora Kostadinovic
We call upon all people of good will to continue supporting the work of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS and thus help and give joy to numerous children in need.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March AID DELIVERED TO JOVANOVIC FAMILY
At the end of March, members of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs from the Republic of Srpska visited the six-member Jovanovic family from Trnova. Rajo, the father, and Snjezana, the mother, have four children: Danijela (9), Drazen (8), Danijel (6) and Vida (3). Talking to the mother, Snjezana, it was pointed out to us that her children are exposed to ridicule at school because their mother bathes them in a washing up bowl basin, because they wear other people’s clothes and don’t have nice notebooks and pencils like other children do.
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 The father, Rajo, is unemployed, but by working hard for a daily wage when someone calls him, he manages somehow to provide for his family. For a long time now he has been having backbone problems, and the pain has moved to his leg, leaving him unable to do any physically strenuous work, so his condition brought them to an even more difficult financial and social situation.
They do not own any land, and Rajo’s brother has given them half of his house where they are living at the moment. They have at their disposal three rooms, a bathroom, and an entryway made from a closed veranda. They are currently accommodated in a 9m2 room, the only room which is heated, where all six of them stay day and night. Beds are worn out and in a state of decay. Other rooms are cold and lacking living conditions for a long-term stay. Soon after the first visit to the Jovanovic family, representatives of the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs delivered the first humanitarian aid package which primarily consisted of basic groceries (flour, oil, sugar, milk, fruit, vegetables and candy for the children), personal hygiene products and basic school supplies as well. On this occasion, the total value of the aid delivered was 582 BAM, but the plan is to purchase a water heater for the bathroom, so that the children can easily maintain personal hygiene, as well as footwear for the youngest members of the family.
Danijela (9), Drazen (8), Danijel (6) and Vida (3) with mother Snjezana
The Charity organization Serbs for Serbs calls upon all friends and donors of the organization from the Republic of Srpska to join our fundraising action to help this family and other socially disadvantaged Serbian families with multiple children.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
SFS DELIVERED NEW AID IN DOBOJ
At the beginning of March this year, the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS delivered another shipment of humanitarian aid to 24 families with children from Doboj, whose homes were damaged during the May floods in 2014. As part of the FIGHT AGAINST FLOODS action, the families received aid in the form of refrigerators, washing machines, electric stoves, freezers and wardrobes in the total value of 12,418 BAM. The Charity organization Stara Raska and the Serbian Brothers Help of Canada also took part in the aid action for families in Doboj.
The complete list of families who were helped: 1. Lazarevic D. (three children) – washing machine (410 BAM) (Serbian Brothers Help) 2. Gojkovic P. (two children) – freezer (470 BAM), kitchen cabinets (Stara Raska) 3. Vitic Z. (two children) – freezer (600 BAM) (Stara Raska) Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
4. Tesanovic S. (two children) – fridge freezer (400 BAM) and washing machine (410 BAM) (Stara Raska) 5. Pejic I. (one child) – freezer (510 BAM) (Stara Raska) 6. Vujic B. (two child) – fridge freezer (400 BAM) (Serbian Brothers Help) 7. Micic B. (three children) – gas electric combination stove (470 BAM) 8. Seslak Z. (one child) – washing machine (410 BAM) (Serbian Brothers Help) 9. Sljivic Z. (two children) – 2 wardrobes
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March 10. Goganovic S. (two children) – freezer (600 BAM), wardrobe 11. Djuric M. (two children) – washing machine (410 BAM) 12. Bugarin B. (two children) – washing machine (410 BAM) (Serbian Brothers Help)
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 13. Subotic P. (one child) – refrigerator (400 BAM) (Stara Raska) 14. Coric Z. (two children) – electric stove (410 BAM), washing machine (410 BAM), fridge freezer (480 BAM), wardrobe 15. Blazic Z. (two children) – washing machine (410 BAM) (Serbian Brothers Help) 16. Jovic-Bajkanovic (two children) – electric stove (410 BAM) (Stara Raska) 17. Blagojevic G. (four children) – refrigerator (400 BAM) (Serbian Brothers Help) 18. Blagojevic A. (three children) – electric stove (410 BAM) 19. Blagojevic D. – washing machine (410 BAM) 20. Petrovic D. (one child) – washing machine (410 BAM) 21. Jovic S. (two children) – washing machine (410 BAM) (Serbian Brothers Help) 22. Djuric D. (one child) – freezer (510 BAM) 23. Djuricic T. (two children) – washing machine (410 BAM) 24. Ostojic Z. (three children) – freezer (500 BAM) and wardrobe (Stara Raska) 25. Stjepanovic Z. (one child) – washing machine (410 BAM)
The big FIGHT AGAINST FLOODS action continues. The Charity organization Serbs for Serbs calls upon all fraternal organizations, donors and people of good will in Serbia and worldwide to get involved in the action by donating money into one of the accounts of the organization – www.srbizasrbe.org/donacije. Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
SFS HELPED LJUBISAVLJEVIC FAMILY
Recently, representatives of the well-known Charity organization Serbs for Serbs visited the thirteenmember family consisting of 47-year-old Dragan and 37-year-old Dragana Ljubisavljevic and their eleven children and, on that occasion they delivered to the family care packages of food and other supplies in the value of 200 Swiss Franc – a donation purposed specifically to help this family. The family consists of Dragan, the father, and Dragana, the mother and their children: Milica (15), Andjela (14), Kristina (13), Lazar (12), Anastasija (11), Adrijana (10), Tamara (9), Natalija (6), Dijana (4), Milan (2) and the tenmonth-old baby Martina.
The arrival of a fully loaded jeep in front of the house of the Ljubisavljevic family caused the children to scream and bounce joyfully up and down because the benefactors started unloading food and what they like the most – sweets and chocolate creams. There was flour, oil, salt, sugar, milk, different types of canned goods and other groceries, in addition to the one thing which, naturally, made mother Dragana the happiest – several packages of laundry detergent.
Family Ljubisavljevic’s kitchen
Purchase of food and hygiene products On behalf of the organization, Novica Cvetkovic who is a member and also the organization’s representative for the Pcinj county, went to visit the family and didn’t hide his pleasure at having met this multiple children family which has been bravely struggling to survive in these difficult times.
Living room and bedroom for the Ljubisavljevic family
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March Thanks to the writing of Frankfurt’s “Vesti” we found out about this mutilple children and hardworking family which struggles daily to provide and survive on their hearthstone, in the village of Stropsko, 4 kilometers away from Vranje. We have witnessed a great sacrifice of mother Dragana who, all day long, takes care of the children very close in age. The oldest one is 15, and the youngest is only a year and a half old. Also, the concern of Dragan, the father, is nothing less; he is almost never at home, he is constantly somewhere in the village, working for a day wage. He leaves early in the morning, and comes home late at night. We would like to thank the “Vesti” for allowing us to find out about the xistence of such Serbian families because they deserve our attention and care. Finally, these children are the future of our Serbia – says Novica Cvetkovic.
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 We couldn’t afford to get them such things even for the greatest Orthodox holidays. May God give long life to all our benefactors and the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs which is wellknown for helping the poor and poor families with many children? May God bless them all and give them health and happiness- says Dragana.
The Ljubisavljevic families, who live in a peaceful village by the river, have their own little greenhouse. In the morning, after she takes care of the youngest children, Dragana and her adult daughters leave to finish off work in the greenhouse, to carefully plant any seeding and then she hoes, weeds and takes care of future stems of tomatoes and peppers.
This year started beautifully for us, thanks to various noble people from abroad and Serbia for who found out about us by reading the “Vesti”. Even though we struggle to survive every day, the help we receive makes our lives a lot easier. There is always hot home-made bread on the table, and now, in addition to the bread there are other groceries that have always been a real luxury to us and our children.
This greenhouse means the world to us because it provides vegetables which later on make it easier for us to sustain and survive. Often, children don’t even wait for tomatoes and peppers to ripen, and they eat them while still half ripe. We don’t have quality soil yet, and we might plant and produce potatoes, beans, cabbage which would suffice for our needs at least – says Dragana who doesn’t condone their destiny.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 Why hide it, we are happy, life is only one and unique. Some spend their lives complaining, and we try to laugh as much as we can and enjoy each other, because God gave us both, the children and the health. Is it too little??! – says the mother, Dragana Ljubisavljevic.
Going away, for the umpteenth time, we come to a conclusion that, despite their everyday life difficulties, the Ljubisavljevic family is one happy family with a home full of love, where you can constantly hear songs coming from the transistor or TV which they also received from good people.
We call upon all people of good will to continue supporting the work of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS and thus help and give joy to numerous children in need. Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
AID FOR EIGHT FAMILIES IN ZVORNIK
In March, the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs from the Republic of Srpska helped eight multiple children families from Zvornik, which are members of the Association of parents with four or more children ‘’Nasi andjeli’’ from Zvornik. None of the parents is employed, and they all live on wages and depend on subsistence agriculture. The families were provided with food and hygiene products packages. On this occasion the toatal value of the aid delivered was 702 BAM.
Peric family
Milic Gordana an Dusan (2) Families that were helped:
Food and hygiene products for the multiple children families
1. Maksimovic Milana, unemployed single mother of four: Marina (13), Kristina (10), Sandra (7) and Zorana (5).
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March 2. Peric Nenad and Sladjana, unemployed parents of four: Marko (13), Darko (12), Mihajlo (5) and Milica (4). They are in a very difficult situation because of Nenad’s illness and they are struggling to survive. 3. Milic Mile and Gordana, unemployed parents of four: Valentina (18), Jovana (15), Brankica (11) and Dusan (2). 4. Mijic Cvijan and Sladjana, unemployed parents of four: Filip (6), Marija (5), Aleksandar (2) and Kristina (1).
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 They live on Dragan’s day wage in extremely harsh conditions. They live in the house of Dragan’s father, in the basement.
Mijic family 5. Kostic Jovan and Suzana, unemployed parents of four underage children: Andjela (8), Ivan (7), Jana (6) and Vidan (4). Because of his illness, Jovan is unable to work and provide better life for his children. 6. Todorovic Dragan and Snezana, unemployed parents of four: Dragana (11), Svijetlana (9), Tamara (5) and Bosko (2).
Todorovic family
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
Zvornik
Draskovic family
Spasojevic family 7. Draskovic Miodrag and Biljana, parents of five: Aleksandra (14), Dejana (13), Jovan (11), Milan (10) and Goran (6). No one in the family works and they all live on the wage which Milan earns. 8. Spasojevic Mile and Gordana, unemployed parents of four: Savo (18), Sanja (14), Luka (10) and Predrag (8).
On behalf of the families, members of the Association ‘’Nasi andjeli’’, we take this opportunity to thank the Charity organization Serbs for Serbs for the help.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March SFS HELPED IN PETROVAC NA MLAVI
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 3. Petrovic V. (chest freezer) – 29,989 RSD (3 children) 4. Ivanovic R. (washing machine) – 32,489 RSD (2 children) 5. Lazarevic N. (refrigerator) – 29,989 RSD (4 children) 6. Ristic M. (chest freezer) – 29,989 RSD (2 children) 7. Ristic D. (chest freezer) – 29,989 RSD (2 children)
On March 29, this year, the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS delivered humanitarian aid to families with children that were hit by the floods in Petrovac na Mlavi. This time, as part of the FIGHT AGAINST FLOODS project, 7 families received aid in the form of 3 freezers, 2 electric stoves, 1 refrigerator and 1 washing machine. The total value of the aid was 200,423 RSD. The funds for this action were provided by the parishioners of The Most Holy Theotokos Church from California in the USA, who sent donations in the amount of 2,942 American dollars.
The following is a list of the aided families from Petrovac na Mlavi, the aid delivered, and its value: 1. Pavlovic Z. (electric stove) – 23,989 RSD (3 children) 2. Cvetanovic B. (electric stove) – 23,989 RSD (3 children) Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
We thank the municipality representatives, who helped us, visit the families and deliver aid. All appliances are of the Gorenje brand, with five-year warranty, and they were delivered thanks to our friends from Tehnomanija.
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
The big FIGHT AGAINST FLOODS action continues. The Charity organization Serbs for Serbs calls upon all fraternal organizations, donors and people of good will in Serbia and worldwide to get involved in the action by donating money into one of the accounts of the organization – www.srbizasrbe.org/donacije.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
TRACTOR FOR LUKIC FAMILY FROM VELIKA HOCA
Unloading the tractor
At the end of March, the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS helped the multi-member Lukic family from Velika Hoca in Kosovo and Metohija. We had visited the family at the end of last year and on that occasion we had agreed on helping the family by purchasing them a tractor for cultivating land. The Lukic family counts 11 members, the oldest ones being Miroslav and Jasminka; their son Dalibor is married to Milica and they have two children: Tomislav (7) and Veljko (2); their son Mladen is married to Jelena and they have two children: Radmila (6) and Teodora (3); their youngest son is Ratko (26). The total value of the tractor is 4,500 Euros. A great deal of help with the purchase and direct delivery was provided by our friends from the Visoki Decani Monastery.
Loading the tractor in the port of the Visoki Decani Monastery
Grandma Jasminka with her grandchildren Teodora, Veljko, Tomislav and Radmila The Lukic family members live in a small communal household on welfare and child benefit, but they are hardworking and diligent in cultivating 1.2 ha of land, so the aid in the form of the tractor will make their work in agriculture a lot easier.
We call upon all people of good will to continue supporting the work of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS and thus help and give joy to numerous children in need.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
PALACINKA PARTY IN CHICAGO
The Chicago members of Serbs for Serbs held another small Palacinka Party to start the year off. Our goal was to introduce new friends to our Charity Organization and to start planning for this year's 3rd Annual Trojka Iz Bloka here in Chicago. The Palacinka Party was a success in that we were able to raise $750 in donations and select a date and location for this year's charity 3-point shooting tournament. With June coming up quickly, we needed to make sure all of the preparations will be well under way.
Even though work and family schedules are keeping everyone busy and the frigid temperatures are keeping everyone indoors, a few good souls where able to get together this past weekend.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 And already, we have started calling contacts to see who can get Nikola Mirotic of the Chicago Bulls to join us this year.
We soon plan to have another Palacinka Party in Chicago and look forward to seeing everyone at the Trojka Iz Bloka in June!!! Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
CHARITY ESTER CONCERT IN ZURICH
The Zuric sisters On Saturday, March 21, this year, the Organization of Serbian Students in Switzerland organized the second annual Charity Easter concert. This year the concert was held at a ceremonial room of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Schwamendingen in the Canton of Zurich. The charity concert featured the church choir, the Cultural artistic society Izvor, the ethno group Zuric sisters and the guitarist Luka Stamenkovic with his colleagues: singer Andrea Fischer, saxophone player Fabian Zarisch and guitarist Aliage Zwirn from the Academy of Music in Zurich. The concert combined traditional and newly interpreted ethno music of the Balkans. About 40 people attending were delighted by the program presented, and expressed a wish of a similar event being organized again soon.
The Cultural artistic society Izvor
The amount of 1,300 Swiss francs was raised at the show, and all the money raised is designated for the seven-member Simic family from Kostajnica near Doboj in the Republic of Srpska.
The audience at a ceremonial room of SOC in Zurich CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE! NO SURRENDER! Guitarists Luka Stamenkovic and Aliage Zwirn
SERBS FOR SERBS
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March SFS GUESTS N TV KOPERNIKUS
Milos Simovic on Tv Kopernikus On March 12, 2015, representative of the Charity organization SERBS FOR SERBS, Milos Simovic, was a guest on the “Јutro online” show on TV Kopernikus in Belgrade. In a friendly talk, the work of the organization was presented, especially regarding the sports-charity “Trojka iz bloka” project, and the form of the aid delivered in the FIGHT AGAINST FLOODS project, which aims at helping families with underage children whose homes were damaged during the disastrous May floods in Serbia and the Republic of Srpska. During the conversation, the special emphasis was also put on getting a charity SMS number 7763 in Serbia. …………………………………………………………...
POGROM OF SERBIA IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 It has been exactly eleven years since the escalation of the biggest ethnically motivated conflicts in Kosovo and Metohija since the arrival of the international forces. Two-day conflicts in Kosovo started on March 17, 2004, after the UNMIK police had found bodies of two Albanian boys in the river Ibar near the village of Cabar, in the north of Kosovo. Massive demonstrations of Kosovo Albanians, who had accused Serbs for the boys’ accident, first started in the south part of Kosovska Mitrovica, and then spread to other parts of the province. During two-day violence, eight Serbs were killed, and more than 900 people were injured. About 800 houses, and about 35 Orthodox churches and monasteries (VIDEO) were destroyed or damaged in the riots, and several thousand Serbs left their homes. By sending a message to 7763 in Serbia (which is 100 RSD), you directly help vulnerable Serbian families in Kosovo and Metohija. …………………………………………………………...
NEVER FORGET MARCH 24, 1999!
The NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which is also known as the Merciful Angel in Serbia, lasted from March 24 to June 10, 1999. It was the second bombing of the NATO aggressor, after the attack on the Republic of Srpska in 1995. In the air attacks which lasted continually for 78 days, infrastructure, industrial facilities, schools, healthcare centers, media headquarters, cultural monuments, churches and monasteries were badly damaged. According to various estimates, the total amount of direct material damage ranges from $30 billion to $100 billion. It is estimated that 2,500 people were killed and about 5,000 were wounded, the casualties being civilians as well as soldiers and police officers.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
SERBS FOR SERBS CHARITY SHOP
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March Donors in March : 1. Compass Fuel donation box (IL) - $ 47 2. Balkan Bakery donation box (IL) - $ 15 3. Beograd CafĂŠ donation box (IL) - $ 42 4. Nada's Deli & Bakery d. box (IL) - $ 48 5. St. Nikola, Brookfield d.box (IL) - $ 32 6. Bubamara cafe d. box (IL) - $ 10 7. Radomans Framing (CA) - $ 15 8. Srdjan Gavrilovic (GA) - $ 15 9. www.usaserbs.net (IL) - $ 25 10. Nikola Lukic - $ 15 11. iSerbApparel.com - $ 10 12. Zeljka Bucalo (NV) - $ 25 13. Luka Jovic - $ 50 14. Milan Dobras (AZ) - $ 15 15. Tihomir Bajic (CA) - $ 100 16. Slavisa Karach (GA) - $ 25 17. Ivan Aksentijevic (MD) - $ 25 18. Dragana Beara (CAN) - $ 50 19. The Most Holy Theotokos Church - $ 2.942 20. Ivan Radulovic (NY) - $ 25 21. Margareta Curcic (CAN) - $ 30 22. Anonymous (Network for Good) - $ 10 23. Vladimir Rakita (Network for Good) - $ 25 24. Nina Ninkovich (CA) (Network for Good) - $ 95,25 25. Dragana Nikolic (TX) - $ 25 26. Predrag & Nikolina Makrelic(NH)- $50 27. Vojislav & Mira Brankov (WI) - $ 50 28. Ivana Ivkovic & Antonije Kovacevic (NY) - $ 100 29. Edita Krunic (NJ) - $ 100 30. Sv. Stevan Decanski (KSS) (IL) - $ 200 31. Vuk Radovic (Bank of America) - $ 400 32. Palacinka Party, Chicago (IL) - $ 750 33. Aleksandar Micic (MO) - $ 15 34. Irena Gumbert (CA) - $ 25 35. Milan Zdrnja - $ 25 36. Vesna Kozomora (IL) - $ 25 37. Predrag Kisa - $ 50 38. Marjan Nesic - $ 50 39. Olja Meyer (IL) - $ 15 40. Helena Urukalo (CAN) - $ 15 41. Tanja Josipovic - $ 25 42. Dragana W. - $ 20 43. Nikola Mrdakovic (IL) - $ 40 44. Radio Zelengrad (WI) - $ 20 45. B. Bojanic (IL) - $ 15 46. Zoran Starcevic - $ 20 47. Nenad Milasinovic (Australia) - $ 25
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015 48. Lucas Gomes - $ 0.10 49. Protecta el. services (Australia) - $ 15 50. Ivan Aksenitjevic (MD) - $ 25 51. Studio Artrist X (Nederlande) - 15 â‚Ź 52. Dragisa Djordjevic (MD) - $ 15 53. David Gavric (IN) - $ 50 54. Marta Stojanovic (CAN) - $ 25 55. Daniel Plavsic (WA) - $ 25 56. Igor & Lana Glisic - $ 50 57. Nikola Lukic - $ 15 58. Srdjan Markovic (CA) - $ 25 59. Bojan Jovanovic (IL) - $ 25 60. Biljana Bursac (CO) - $ 15 61. Neven Cvetkovic (Sweden) - $ 50 62. Aeron Loeb - $ 200 63. Susi Schuchard (SD) - $ 25 64. Dragisa Zivkovic - $ 15 65. Ankica D. (NJ) - $ 25 66. Mustafa D. K. (Denmark) - $ 100 67. N. V. - $ 100 68. Sasa Savic (TX) - $ 30 69. Nina & Maksim Krsmanovic (VA)- $50 70. Sinisa Peric (MD) - $ 50 71. Mladen Subotic - $ 100 72. Zoran Mladenovic (MD) - $ 100 73. Andreja Simovic (CA) - $ 100 74. Aleksandar Tanasic (CAN) -$ 25 ________________________
TOTAL IN MARCH: $ 7.021
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
DONATIONS IN 2015.
NUMBER OF DONORS IN 2015.
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS
Monthly Report for March
www.serbsforserbs.org 2015
www.serbsforserbs.org szsamerika@gmail.com www.facebook/serbsforserbs
Charity organization Serbs for Serbs www.serbsforserbs.org PO Box 34206, Chicago, IL 60634 Phone: +1-312-85-SERBS