Real lives

Real lives

Marking the 20th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child: Conference of Ministers and unveiling the Wall of Children’s Wishes and Requests

Marking the 20th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child: Conference of Ministers and unveiling the Wall of Children’s Wishes and Requests

Children take initiative, asking questions to politicians in the State Parliament

Children take initiative, asking questions to politicians in the State Parliament

Dzeko: If football is "the most important unimportant" issue in the world, children are the most important issue

Dzeko: If football is "the most important unimportant" issue in the world, children are the most important issue

The best start for every child in Municipalty Novi Grad Sarajevo

The best start for every child in Municipalty Novi Grad Sarajevo

 

Awareness raising about prevention of infectious diseases through games and fun

© UNICEF/BiH/Irfan Redzovic

Given the fact that Superbus attracts children of all ages, often parents come with the smaller children and thus have the opportunity to learn and get information on the bird flu.

Thanks to UNICEF and SOS Kinderdorf’s project implemented with USAID’s financial support, for several years now children from small areas throughout BiH as well as from suburban settlements of Sarajevo, have the opportunity to get together and play and in this creative way to familiarize themselves with one of the large global problem – Avian Influenza.
Even though Bosnia and Herzegovina had the luck that in the first onrush this problem didn't seriously jeopardize the country, the prevention of the Avian Influenza remains still one of the priorities. Through general messages children are informed about the importance of hygiene and the reasons for which the hygiene is important for the prevention of Avian Influenza. Moreover, flyers with comprehensive messages are disseminated to them: “The clean egg is the best - it gives strength to the organism” or “If you see a dead bird, call your teacher”. The last side of the flyers is dedicated to parents with more“ serious” messages.

© UNICEF/BiH/Irfan Redzovic

The number of participants is high, at each activity around 50 children participate and sometimes the number is higher.

- Given the fact that Superbus attracts children of all ages, often parents come with the smaller children and thus have the opportunity to learn and get information on the bird flu. The number of participants is high, at each activity around 50 children participate and sometimes the number is higher – stated Mersiha Kolčaković, psychologist in Superbus.

We have visited them in their station in the Alipasino Polje settlement in the new part of Sarajevo city. Before that, we were in Dobrinja II and Grbavica, we have visited the orthopedics and pediatrics section in the clinical center of Koševo as well as children in Visoko. Afterwards, we went in Faletići, Ilijaš and in SOS children village in Mojmilo. The idea of the bus is to go in the places where children already get together.
- A large number of activities for children are organized in the central parts of the city and our aim is to reach children from settlements that are far from the center itself, children from smaller cities and villages in BiH. No matter the place we go, children and parents welcome us and gladly participate in our activities – added Mersiha.

While we are having the conversation, around one table a group of girls is drawing, boys are playing basketball and soccer, and some are trying to walk on stilts while the majority of the children have gathered themselves around sticks, cubes and other toys.

Our primary goals are having fun, playing and learning. Thus the competition part becomes invisible. Children are drawing but they are not in competition for the best drawing. Everyone can take their drawings home - explained Mersiha. 
Hamdija Delić, who brought his grandson Alden to play, took part to the conversation. He says he comes from Vogošča and came to visit his grandson.
- I think that bringing children together to play and to have fun as well as to learn with the help of the professionals who will lead them is a very good initiative.

Written by: Almir Panjeta
Photo: Irfan Redžović