Program Overview
Afterschool program in Zenica serves students living in orphanages from elementary through high school. The program runs in partnership with Input, an organization comprised of eleven volunteers based in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. INPUT provides educational opportunities to impoverished and orphaned children in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They specifically provide computer science and English language classes. In the past three years, they have implemented numerous projects and educated about 500 children in computer science and English language.
Why is this program important?
Children living in orphanages suffer from boredom and from aninadequate educational support that contributes to a very small number of them doing well in primary school.
As a result, they need additional help with homework, school assignments and particularly extracurricular activities.
Currently, the country where they live faces approximately 46% unemployment rate; therefore, their chances for employment are bleak unless we give them access to better education, life skills vocational training and personal development programs
How will this program solve the existing problem?
The program offers four different workshops throughout the school year, including summer. Classes are held twice a week in the orphanage and once in a local school several hours a day. We currently work with five tutors and one Program Coordinator overseeing the program. For math and English, the children usually come seeking help with homework and exams. In other classes, the students follow a set program each week prepared by the Program Coordinator. Usually there are no more than fifteen students in the classroom so that each tutor can work with no more than three students. Children are usually between the ages of thirteen to eighteen. Beneficiaries are selected on ongoing basis; however, they have to come voluntarily and willing to learn.
Workshops provided
Computer operations and programs
English: writing,conversational, and vocabulary tutoring
Math tutoring
Extracurricular activities: sports competitions, photography
jewelry and sewing workshops, going to movies, cooking. etc
Potential Long Term Impact:
Cost of the program
Bosana Foundation covers all costs associated with the program. There are monthly classroom rental fees, tutors’ monthly stipends and materials. Starting April 2012, we will also cover part time salary for the Program Coordinator as we expand our program to Sarajevo and Mostar, BiH.
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Foundation covers all costs associated with the program. There are monthly classroom rental fees, tutors’ monthly stipends and materials. Starting April 2012, we will also cover part time salary for the Program Coordinator as we expand our program to Sarajevo and Mostar, BiH.
Student and Teacher Testimonials
“I love my after school program, and my teacher is my inspiration because I would like to know one day all about the computers just like him. He also always makes us laugh and feel better.” ~ Amel Kasmo, 14 – Computer class.
“I am a math teacher to four of the children at the orphanage. For a very long time the students had a lot of problems with math and while I tried to help them understand better, I was not successful. I noticed that since February 2011 students’ behavior improved and they were more active in the class trying to get a better grade. When I asked them what had influenced a change in them, they told me that it was the after school instructions at the orphanage that made the difference. The students are so much better and they always mention their tutors from the program. All four students have drastically improved their grades.” ~ Aldina H. -math teacher at “Mak Dizdar” School in Zenica, BiH
