• Bosnia Trust shared iftar with 19 widows who had lost their husbands and sons during the Bosnian War.

• These women are often referred to as ‘The Mothers of Srebrenica.’

• The gathering was described as a peaceful and uplifting evening.

• Each widow was given a cash envelope as a gift.

• An additional widow was visited and gifted the following day as she couldn’t attend the iftar.

• A further 30 widows were identified to receive similar cash gifts.

• Remaining funds are being set aside to form a Widows Support Fund for essentials such as

  • Firewood

  • Medicine

  • Emergency needs

Future Support Plans

• Employ a full-time counsellor to support widows’ mental health and wellbeing over the next five years.

  • Target fundraising goal: £90,000 (£18,000/year)

• Recruit befrienders and domestic helpers to offer:

  • Companionship

  • Practical assistance, especially for widows living alone in rural, isolated areas

• £14,405 raised for Cow and Greenhouse projects.

• 8 families supported with cow donations — read their individual stories below.

• 3 greenhouses commissioned:

  • small (21 m²),

  • medium (50 m²),

  • large (100 m²).

Cow project recipients

1. Family One: Widow Nadia has three daughters from her first marriage and a son, Tarik, from her second marriage. Unfortunately, Tarik’s father died from cancer when little Tarik was only two months old. Nadia initially lived with her in-laws after her husband’s passing but was subjected to verbal and emotional abuse and was forced to leave. Her new home is surrounded by 500 square metres of land which she uses to grow vegetables for her own needs. She also has a barn that she can use for keeping livestock. Tarik is now 9 years old, and he is a good student. He helps his mom around the house and loves animals.

2. Family Two: 11-year-old Hana and 16-year-old Adam lost their father to a heart attack. Their mother, Sofia, is a hard-working woman. She has a job but also looks after the house, grows vegetables and takes care of the family’s two goats. She lives with her mother and her two children in their family home. Hana and Adam are very good students, and they also help their mother to grow vegetables and take care of their household.

3. Family Three: Widow Layla lives with her 10-year-old daughter, Zara, and her parents. She works as a cook, but her salary is not enough to provide for all the family’s needs. Zara’s father had mental health issues and died in a traffic accident recently. The family lives in a poor neighbourhood, and although Layla’s elderly parents are helping where they can, their poverty is an extra burden they are forced to bear on top of grieving for their husband and father.

4. Family Four: Farah with daughter and son, 12 and 8 years old, both going to school; the mother is unemployed. After the death of her husband, she was left alone with small children. Now she is married and caring for her son and daughter, as well as the two children from her husband’s previous marriage. Farah has also recently given birth.

5. Family Five: The Besic family, mother Nada has two sons, 15 and 13 years old, both going to school; the mother is unemployed and has no income. Before the death of her husband, they had cows and worked a lot in agriculture because they had a lot of arable land. Supported after we left Bosnia.

6. Family Six: Malik and Omar live with their grandparents in their village. After their father's death, their mother got remarried and was unable to care for them, so their grandparents became their main guardians. They work in animal husbandry but struggle to support their grandchildren on their small income. Malik is now in year 7, and Omar is in year 9. The boys also help their grandparents at work. Unfortunately, after losing their father, their uncle, who they were very close to, also passed away.

7. Family Seven: The cow will support a family of four in hardship. The father has been helping his community. He has been working low-paid jobs. This will greatly benefit this household.

8. Family Eight: This cow was received by a family who lost their son to a car accident six months ago. The father grows and sells seasonal produce, and the family has found it very difficult. They are proud and dignified people and have never asked for handouts. In fact, they were referred by their neighbours and friends who felt that they should receive a little helping hand. The wife is a homemaker, and she recently donated a kidney to her daughter-in-law. These are selfless and warm people who deserve this gift – from you to them.

• We visited a centre for young people with SEND needs and pledged to support:

  • A classroom: £7,000

  • Specialised equipment: £15,000

• £2,343 allocated toward local infrastructure needs.