The 90s in the Balkan countries were anything but easy. With the Yugoslavian war affecting almost all Balkan countries, children born and raised in this region faced numerous difficulties, both during the war and in the post-war era that’s still ongoing in some areas.
Coming from the Balkans but having the privilege to be born in Switzerland, I felt the need to help Balkan children in any way, as did many other individuals with a similar background.
Once I was old enough, I started volunteering for humanitarian organizations in addition to donating money and products these organizations needed.
With SQUADPLAN helping me find absolute financial independence, I think it was a perfect decision to donate a part of my SQUADPLAN profits and launch my own humanitarian organization – Charity for Balkan Children.
What is the Charity for Balkan Children about?
As a non-governmental, non-profit, and humanitarian organization, Charity for Balkan Children raises money to fund local charities and projects in the Western Balkan countries. The funds we raise through the charity are used to provide Balkan children with much-needed financial support. Essentially, the funds remove the key obstacles these children face every day.
Vulnerable children residing in the Balkan countries struggle with different disabilities and numerous socio-economic issues. By aiding orphanages and associations for disabled children, we do our best to provide these children with everything they need for a happy and fulfilled life.
Some of our primary goals are providing financial support to child-centered organizations, creating a long-term structured support system, establishing a family-based type of care, and offering a safe place where every child can dream, aspire, and achieve.
Why did I found my own charity?
It’s safe to say that my past has had a major role in me deciding to launch my own charity. Although I spent years volunteering at different charity organizations, I was never sure the money and products were going to a good cause. Aren’t we all suspicious when there’s no proof of specific actions being taken?
These organizations’ lack of transparency motivated me to create a charity where I’ll be sure how and where the donated funds are spent. Because I understand other people might have similar suspicions, all the actions at the Charity for Balkan Children are fully transparent – receipts, pictures, and thank-you letters are all provided to all our volunteers, donors, and partners.
With this level of transparency, I hope to make everyone interested in our charity feel safe to be a part of our big-hearted team.
Our vision is slowly coming together with each new project. The first three projects we delivered are:
What you can do to help
People lead different lifestyles and come from different backgrounds, which is why we’ve created three different plans that allow everyone to be a part of our charity.
● Become a donor
If you’d like to provide financial aid but don’t have time to participate in our humanitarian activities, consider becoming a donor. You can donate here:
● Become a volunteer
People who can’t donate money but have free time can become volunteers. We’re looking for volunteers in different departments, including finance, marketing, event planning, and key account management. You don’t have to be located in the Balkans for volunteering positions. Fill out the form below and let us know which department you’re interested in helping out.
● Become a partner
For individuals who have some money and some free time, becoming a partner offers a perfect balance between the donor and volunteer positions. For instance, our partner Gastro Park donates 2 CHF for every Slovenian wine they sell online!
After years of volunteering and donating, I realized what I didn’t like about other non-governmental and humanitarian organizations. That’s when I decided to create a charity that’ll eliminate all these disadvantages and provide a fully transparent and quite flexible organization.
If you’d like to be a part of the Charity for Balkan Children community, find a position that works best for you and contact us today!
