Leaving a impression in Soko banja
Even at its conclusion, CHF International's six-year Community Revitalization and Development Activity (CRDA) in Serbia is still making lots of Serbians happy. Among these are Snezana and her children Dunja and Veljko, residents of Sokobanja
Even at its conclusion, CHF International's six-year Community Revitalization and Development Activity (CRDA) in Serbia is still making lots of Serbians happy. Among these are Snezana and her children Dunja and Veljko, residents of Sokobanja, a village in the southeastern part of the country, not far from the Bulgarian frontier. The three attended part of the closing ceremonies for CRDA, where hundreds of people came to enjoy music, food, and to talk about the changes that CRDA has brought to the region.
I have lived in Sokobanja for my whole life, and because of CHF and CRDA, my children and I have never been happier."
Snezana explained that her family lives adjacent to one of two town parks, which had become overgrown and full of weeds. As part of the CRDA, citizens in Sokobanja were organized into a community development group, and they decided that a high priority for everyone was to redevelop the parks. Using resources provided by the town government, manpower from members of the town, and some financial assistance from CHF/CRDA (which is funded by USAID), both of the town's parks were rehabilitated. Today, dozens of children play in the park every day, while older residents of the town sit together and read. "We are very happy with this park," says Snezana, "both of my kids love to play here."
Beyond making improvements like rebuilding the park, Snezana says that watching the process of community redevelopment unfold in her town has given her an appreciation for what civic-minded people can accomplish. She says that while she is a housewife right now, in the future she would hope to do community development work one day.
"I can see myself taking an active role in this village. CRDA showed me how this can be possible."
During the lifetime of CRDA, more than 156 communities worked together to build better lives, completing more than 1,300 projects affecting more than 5 million Serbians. CHF International contributed more than $23 million in USAID funding to the program, while communities and local governments added some $30 million in resources. CHF International provided oversight and technical assistance from its offices in Belgrade and throughout the southeastern region, including the sensitive Preševo valley near Kosovo.
Snezana and her children came to the park to help decorate a banner celebrating CRDA's many successes. "We heard about the banner painting from Dunja's teachers at school.” Both kids helped out by covering their hands in paint and making colorful prints on the banner. Later, the banner served as a backdrop for a concert by Macedonian pop star Tose Proeski. "I am also friends with a CHF staff person," Snezana admitted, "but then again she knows just about everyone in this town."
Another family also enjoyed the hand printing fun on a warm late-summer afternoon - Ljubinko and his son Lazar. "I work for a tourist organization nearby here," Ljubinko says. "My organization is one of the small businesses that has been supported by CRDA. I'm very happy that the CRDA came to our part of Serbia, because it has given us many new opportunities." Lazar agreed with his father. "Anyway, I liked using the red paint on my hands," he says.