Disability no longer has to be a barrier to exercising the right to employment. Although this is a sentence that should refer to a systemic solution to the problem of employment of persons with disabilities, in the absence of political will and a serious undertaking by the authorities, this democratic right in our country is most often solved by individuals. We bring another positive example of an employer who provides equal opportunities to people with and without disabilities.
Social enterprise Greens d.o.o. has six employees, three of whom are disabled. Greens is the first company for the production of organic micro-vegetables, herbs and edible flowers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was founded in 2018, as a response to the needs of modern lifestyle for healthy nutrition, but also with the aim of work integration and economic empowerment of people with disabilities, the Greens explains.
“We decided on organic herbs, because the market research we conducted before creating the business plan showed that at that time, domestic micro-vegetables, herbs, medicinal herbs, and edible flowers, especially not fresh and cultivated, could not be found in our market, especially herbs grown on ecological and organic principles, which is exactly what we do. On the other hand, every day we have the opportunity to talk to a large number of young and ecologically-aware people, a new generation of mothers and fathers who want to provide their children and themselves with a healthy source of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients”, said Vedad Vajzović, director of Greens.
Half of the employees are people with disabilities
Greens d.o.o. was created with the support of the non-governmental organization ProReha, which deals with work rehabilitation, education, training and employment of persons with disabilities and other difficult-to-employ groups. It was conceived as a social enterprise based on the principles of good economics, which, in addition to young agricultural engineers, also employs people with disabilities, and returns all its profits to the non-governmental organization ProReha. This is all done with the aim of training and employing new personnel from marginalized groups. Currently, six people work in Greens, three people without disabilities and three people with disabilities.
“This represents an ideal combination, considering that persons without disabilities are highly educated young agronomists and mentors to persons with disabilities who work in the Greens. This combination of young and dedicated people and young people with disabilities eager for knowledge and recognition of their efforts to integrate into a real working environment are exactly the secret of Greens’ success,” Vajzović tells us.
He explains that through many years of work with people with disabilities, and especially with people with intellectual disabilities, they realized that this is the ideal job for them, because they provide special attention and love to plants. They have a keen sense of small details, which makes them experts in this profession. Plants grown by the hands of people with disabilities give higher yields precisely because of their commitment, and the expertise of young agricultural engineers ensures the application of the most modern technologies and cultivation principles. The Greens says that they strive to remove barriers and prejudices among employers and society as a whole.
“Unfortunately, in our country as well as in neighboring countries, the medical model still prevails when assessing an individual’s work capacity, where based on a medical certificate you provide proof whether you are capable for work, or whether you have limited capability or whether you are incapable of establishing an employment relationship. In developed and inclusive societies, a functional assessment model is used, and instead of limitations, the individual’s potential is observed and his_her remaining abilities are assessed. Furthermore, the individual is provided with support and a chance for integration into the open labor market, as well as for their socio-economic empowerment. Processes of education, professional rehabilitation, retraining and integration are carried out. If we want our society to progress, we must ensure that it is inclusive, and we will achieve this first through our support to the most vulnerable in their efforts to realize their full potential and integrate into society by affirming their abilities,” Vajzović states.
Training for 60 participants as a new opportunity for people with disabilities
Through the active participation of people with disabilities in all processes, Greens wants to show by example that people with disabilities are also capable of producing quality organic micro-vegetables, herbs and edible flowers, which directly contribute to personal development, as well as to a better, healthier society. In this context, Greens also deals with the training of people with disabilities. The training on Urban Organic Agricultural Production was attended by a total of 60 participants.
“We had three teaching units, each training was attended by 20 participants, and they were conducted from May to November last year. Through these trainings, people with disabilities got the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and skills, through theoretical lectures and practical work, and to become familiar with the model of organic agricultural production and the most modern ways of growing and marketing agricultural products grown in this way. Complete trainings were adapted to people with disabilities, both through the teaching material and through the adaptation of the work environment”, explains Vajzović.
Thanks to the acquired knowledge and skills, participants of these trainings will be able to integrate into the open labor market or start their own production as subcontractors of companies from this sector. Greens plans to expand its capacities, which will lead to the employment of more people with disabilities.
“Just as our plants are grown on organic principles, so is our social enterprise Greens d.o.o. Every day, we who manage the processes acquire new knowledge and skills and apply them in the production and sale of our products. We are currently in the development phase of an innovative solution that will combine digital technology and green economy, all in the function of simplifying the production process and achieving higher yields while using renewable energy sources and reducing waste. All of the above also represents a solid basis for the growth and development of Greens and the employment of new staff of people with disabilities,” says Vajzović.
The example of the Greens leads to a society without prejudice
The working day at Greens starts with a cup of tea or coffee. On this occasion, the staff discusses about the plan for that day and the distribution of work, communicate with customers and receive orders. After the meeting, they go to work, from packaging for delivery to end customers, to new planting, cleaning and watering of newly planted plants and flowers. Equal daily work rituals and time spent in joint planning fully include people with disabilities in all work processes. Green’s microcosmos works perfectly, and yet such an environment still needs to be systematically created.
“I believe that our society is extremely humane, which is best shown by the care for the socially vulnerable, old and ill persons and other marginalized groups in our local communities. However, we all need to be more involved in creating an inclusive environment in which young people with disabilities and other marginalized groups will have more chances for education, training and employment, all with the aim of turning them from passive members of society and beneficiaries of social assistance into active creators of their lives, and with a little support, show their full potential”, believes Vajzović.
This would be a way of creating a society with equal opportunities for everyone, but also an indicator that as a society we have matured to be a part of the modern democratic world, which offers everyone a chance and opens up opportunities for growth and development.
Author: Edina Sećerović
