For five years now, Intesa Sanpaolo Banka has been helping children and young people from SOS Children’s Villages in BiH through support for education. This year, they donated 6,000 KM to co-finance living expenses for six students. On this occasion, friends from Intesa Sanpaolo Banka visited the SOS Children’s Village in Sarajevo.

„By doing our job as best as we can, we try to support the social community in Bosnia and Herzegovina with the same enthusiasm. It is with particular pleasure that we support children and young people from SOS Children’s Villages from Sarajevo for the fifth year in a row. Most of all, we are pleased with their successes during their education and that with our help they manage to overcome their college days in an easier way, and finally start their working life in the profession for which they were educated” said Minela Ibrahimagić, Head of the PR and Marketing Communication Department of Intesa Sanpaolo Banka.

Selma is a radiology engineer, but has decided to continue with her education and is presently attending the Master’s degree program at the Faculty of Health Studies in Sarajevo.

„Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of doing a job through which I could help others.  I’m happy that I have fulfilled my dream. It takes a lot of effort and investment, but it is much easier to succeed when you have support in your immediate surroundings, and I did. First in my family, in the SOS Children’s Village, and then from Intesa Sanpaolo Banka. I am grateful to Intesa Sanpaolo Bank for supporting my studies and giving me the opportunity to help others“, said Selma.

Melisa now works in the kindergarten, after having attained the master’s degree at the Faculty of Pedagogy.

„I love working with children because I know how much we can change their lives for the better, if we sincerely dedicate ourselves to them. I could learn this best from my own example growing up in the SOS Children’s Village. They always listened to our wishes, but also motivated us to work on ourselves, to get an education, and I knew that I would enroll in studies even before I finished high school. I am proud of my success because I know how many years of study and dedication are behind each achievement, but it is certainly much easier when you have support and focus only on learning. I give a big thanks to Intesa Sanpaolo Banka for making our study days easier and more beautiful“, said Melisa.

SOS Children’s Villages in BiH strongly advocates for quality education of children and young people, and with the support of donors and partners, they strive to empower young people so that they can be competitive on the labor market tomorrow.

“ It is important to listen to the wishes and needs of young people, but also to harmonize them with the labor market. In SOS Children’s Villages, quality education is high on the list of priorities, and we strive to provide quality education to young people in order to reach their full potential. Our friends from Intesa Sanpaolo Banka have been a great support for us on this path for five years now. Thank you for continuously helping us to provide better opportunities for young people“, said Malik Garibija, national manager of SOS Children’s Village BiH.

In the past two years, Intesa Sanpaolo Banka has co-financed the living expenses of eight more students, and during 2019 and 2020 they donated complete school supplies for a total of 130 first-grade pupils from SOS Children’s Villages in BiH and the Family Strengthening Program. You can find more about the work of SOS Children’s Villages in BiH and how to donate on the website www.sos-ds.ba.