OXAB has been visiting the former Yugoslavia since 1993. Since then, the focus of OXAB has widened to include a larger part of the Balkans, but we continue to arrange visits to various centres in Bosnia-Herzegovina. For information on our different destinations in Bosnia, and trip reports from previous years, select the Destinations page from the menu above.

OXAB have been organising aid to refugees in and around Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) ever since the war in the early 1990s, and unlike many other charities which have moved on to more recent flashpoints, we continue to help those affected by the conflict, 15 years on. The country was torn apart by the war, with huge flows of refugees as communities with a mixed ethnic background were violently separated into their constituent groups, by various militias and armies engaging in “ethnic cleansing”. Needless to say, the war also resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, from all ethnic groups, leaving many people, including children, without family or friends.

While much time has elapsed since the war ended in 1995, the need for aid continues to be felt by children growing up in a ravaged and very poor society. OXAB not only provides much-needed care and attention for children in towns across Bosnia, but we also bring funds allowing underfunded orphanages and youth centres to buy equipment and other essential items. Our trips are mostly to the more remote areas, since Sarajevo and Mostar, the two largest cities in the country, have already received a considerable amount of international aid, and are well on the way to being rebuilt.

What happens on a typical trip?

During a typical OXAB trip you will volunteer in a youth centre in a small or mid-sized town. If you’re travelling in the summer, the children will be out of school on their long Summer holiday, and will often have very little to do – you’ll probably find yourselves being the main source of entertainment for the 2-4 weeks that you’re there! You might find yourself organising sports activities, painting sessions, a visit to a local park, or even drama lessons. While English is spoken by many people (at least at a basic level) in BiH, as well as certain other main European languages, there may be opportunities for you to teach if you would be interested. Language lessons are often greatly appreciated! You can also provide aid in the form of equipment while you’re there – we can reimburse you for equipment you buy for the children (as long as we are presented with receipts) from our own fundraising during the year, plus you can use any other funds you’ve raised for the purpose. We recommend that you buy everything out there, since it’s far cheaper and easier than taking it on the plane, and supports the local economy.

Destinations in Bosnia

For more information about the places we visit in Bosnia, please see the Destinations page.

Plus you can find out about our pre-1999 trips to the former Yugoslavia on our history page. The 1996 Gračanica report is a must-read!

How do I get there?

Getting to BiH is surprisingly easy – while flights to Sarajevo are not as expensive as they used to be and cost around £180 direct return (British Airways fly from Gatwick), you can travel to neighbouring Croatia or Hungary for even less money with a low-fare airline. Low-fare airlines such as Wizzair and Ryanair offer bargain prices to destinations in both these countries - the flight search engine SkyScanner is useful. Another £25 or so will get you bus or rail transport to almost anywhere in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Owing to the mountainous nature of the region, the railway network is relatively sparse compared with the bus system. Because the money in BiH is not exchangeable outside the country, you will need to wait until you get there before you can exchange your money for the local Konvertibilna Marka (KM) – though Euros are also widely accepted.

What’s the country like?

Bosnia-Herzegovina is a small, very mountainous country, with a population of around 4.35 million in an area of about 50,000 square km (a little larger than the Netherlands). It can be very cold in winter, and very hot in summer – a continental climate – though areas closer to the coast, in the south, have less severe extremes of temperature. Bosnia itself is almost entirely landlocked, with the exception of a small corridor running out to the Adriatic Sea. Many of the towns and cities of the region are built on ancient sites, and their histories (and very often buildings) reflect the many encounters between civilisations, religions, and nations in the Balkans over the last few centuries. This is where, more than anywhere else, the cultures and religions of Western Europe, Eastern Europe and the Middle East meet.

BiH is now stable, and is divided into two main sections, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosne i Hercegovine), and the Republic of Srpska, as well as the District of Brčko. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a parliamentary democracy and its government’s representation is by elites who represent the country’s three major groups, with each having a guaranteed share of power. There are three constituent peoples, Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs, and consequently there are three official languages – Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian.

There is little doubt that the situation in BiH has improved considerably, especially with BiH signing a Stabilisation and Association Agreement in December 2007, a very important step towards EU integration. However, for many of the children of refugees and orphans left behind the war, the need for support is as great as ever.

For more information on the country, have a look at the Wikipedia article on Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We have more resources for trips to Bosnia-Herzegovina on our get involved page. Our liaison officer for Bosnia can be contacted via bosnia@oxab.org.uk

Sarajevo at dusk

Last updated: March 30th, 2008