Surviving the Bosnian war by Taiba

In her own words – Taiba, Bosnia and Herzegovina

“During the Bosnian war, my village was attacked and 116 of my friends and neighbours were killed – men, women and children. Only a few of us escaped. We had lost everything. I thought there was nothing left for us, but when Women for Women International came to the village, hope began to return. We found a safe place, someone to listen to our story, a place where our burdens could be shared with others. That’s how it all started.

We learned about women’s rights, health, mutual support, and organising as a community. We also participated in a fantastic project to learn medicinal plant production, so we can earn an income to support ourselves and our families. We learned how to prepare the soil for cultivation, how to produce seedlings, how to tend to our crops, how and when to pick and dry the herbs. WfWI helped us link to local markets. We now produce large quantities of medicinal plants and we are all businesswomen!

When we are together, the sky is the limit. Our jobs are very important for the entire community, and this work has helped me gain respect from my brothers and family. I am now a happy, self-employed woman. I feel proud not only of myself, but also of the fact that I can now help other women on their road to a better life!”

Taiba, Bosnia and Herzegovina