“The best things in life are free” is a saying that can be used to describe the work and efforts of the “Educos” Foundation, which deals with providing scholarships to students and elementary and high school students. “Educos” is a non-partisan and non-governmental foundation that deals exclusively with education, upbringing and organizing events with the aim of building a better society, and they operate in Sarajevo and Travnik.
For many years, the “Educos” foundation has been organizing free instruction in various fields for elementary and high school students, free preparatory classes for external matriculation, and they also offer help to schoolchildren in writing homework, reading readings… They also organize various seminars, workshops, lectures for activists, but and for the wider social community.
According to the director of the Foundation, Hasib Gabeljić, even before its establishment, an informal group of local altruists and philanthropists helped and provided scholarships to students for years.
– In 2017, the circle of scholarship holders and scholarship recipients reached an enviable level, and we registered the Foundation for the Advancement of Culture and Education “Educos”. Our primary mission is to raise pupil and student standards, to be socially responsible and socially useful, and to pass this on to young people – said Gabeljić.
All activities of the Foundation are financed by citizens who pay monthly donations, contributions and scholarships.
– The motive and inspiration for financing this type of student and student, that is, the activities of “Educosa”, are precisely the results that the Foundation and its students achieve in the field of education, culture, and volunteering. We already have generations that have graduated from university, and now they are respected members of BiH society, and a large percentage of them are involved in providing scholarships to new students. We can say that this is our greatest success – Gabeljić points out.
50 successful, talented and gifted young people from scientific, research, cultural and sports fields are currently included in the direct program of the Edukos Foundation. About 150 students are indirectly involved in the Foundation’s work through volunteering, instruction, courses, and workshops. The competition is open during the school/academic year and everyone who wants to can be part of the “Educos” family.
A special activity of the Foundation that they are happy to highlight is free instruction for all elementary school students in Sarajevo in their educational centers.
– The lecturers are our scholarship holders, and about 150 students attend instruction and courses, mathematics, English, programming (python and arduino). The educational center was created as a result of the need of our scholars for a space where they will volunteer on the one hand and the need of students for instructions on the other hand. Lecturers are not ordinary volunteers, but mentors, and for this they receive a certificate, which is an important item in their CV. Another important thing is that in this way, through lectures, they refresh their knowledge and are constantly in mental condition. The third thing is that we strive to change the consciousness of the post-war generations and to move from a subordinate position to a position where we help someone – explains Gabeljić.
What is especially important for students in the final grades of elementary schools in Sarajevo Canton and their parents is free preparatory classes for external matriculation.
– The external matriculation exam is the first obstacle to enrolling in the best and desired secondary schools. That is why we decided to offer this type of education. Students prepare with their mentors to take the external matriculation exam in Bosnian and English and mathematics, according to the catalogs of the Ministry of Education of the KS. The plan is for the students to complete the assigned catalog of tasks twice, the first time before the new year, and the second time from the beginning of the second semester until the exam date, so that they are ready to wait for enrollment in the school of their choice. No less important is the “homework” project, where children do homework in all subjects with our educators – points out Gabeljić.
He adds that a very important place in the activities of “Educos” is the marking of significant dates such as reforestation for BiH Statehood Day, marking of the International Day of Peace, trips and excursions within BiH and abroad, which are also practical education.
– At the beginning of the school/academic year, we set certain semi-annual and annual goals, as a stimulus for our scholarship recipients, and as a reward they receive an excursion. The goal of the visit within the country is to get to know the culture, history and traditions of the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Visits outside Bosnia and Herzegovina have the dimension of getting to know diversity, exchange of experiences, dialogue, panels, conferences, mutual cooperation, visits… We organize a summer camp for primary school children, where some sleep in a tent for the first time, light a campfire. We also organize “escape rooms” for the participants of the instructions, which are both fun and application of what they have learned – says Gabeljić.
The Foundation also operates the Students’ Home in Travnik, and the users of the services are scholarship holders of the Foundation, students who attend local high schools in Travnik, and come from remote parts of the Central Bosnian Canton.
– In addition to accommodation and food, students are offered the possibility of additional education, instruction, preparation for competitions, as well as entertainment and recreational activities – he says.
When asked if they are satisfied with how much and how the local community and other levels of government recognize their projects, Gabeljić points out:
“We are satisfied, but there should and must be more room for cooperation. It is a cause-and-effect relationship, where we can and should complement each other, both with local, governmental and non-governmental organizations. In the future, we plan to raise the level of quality for existing activities, increase the number of volunteers and expand the capacities of educational centers. We are open and invite all people of good will, institutions and organizations to cooperate in order to plan future activities together – concludes Gabeljić.
Rashida Krujezi, coordinator for female students of the “Educos” Foundation, points out that she herself was a scholarship holder and that she wants to transfer positive values to other young people through her volunteer work.
– We strive to meet all the needs of these girls, to be educational, moral and financial support. We organize excursions, hiking, visits to cultural institutions… When they are interested in lectures, we conduct surveys to find out which topics interest them. I am especially proud of the Book Club that operates at the Foundation. We always stress the importance of reading, especially in this time of modern technologies – said Krujezi.
Bosnian language and literature teacher Havka Ahmetović-Velić is a former user of “Educos”, and today she is one of the many activists of the Foundation.
– I used to receive a scholarship, and today I give scholarships to other children. This fulfills me very much because I know how important every form of support is in that period of life. I am involved in the Foundation’s volunteer work to the extent that it is possible, because now I have my own family, but I never forget who helped me become the man I am today – said Ahmetović-Velić.
Written by: Mihneta Avdić
This story was written thanks to the generous support of the American people through the “Local Works” program of the American Agency for International Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina (USAID). The author and “Network for Peace Building” are solely responsible for the content of the story. The views expressed in the story do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
