The Czech Republic is one of the first European countries to come to the aid of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Corona virus pandemic. In addition to long development programs, the Czech Republic government has decided to provide intervention funds for the most vulnerable groups most affected by the pandemic in each country, within the project „Innovative approach to COVID 19 response in vulnerable communities in Bosnia and Hezegovina“, under the motto – We help others, because others help us.

„We did it because we know that the marginalized communities have much more difficult access, first they are poor, second they live in worse hygienic conditions so they are more vulnerable to be affected by the virus“, Ivana Hlavsova, ambassador of the Czech Republic to BiH said.

The focus of assistance in the fight against the pandemic for the Czech government, within the project that is implemented in 10 cities in Bosnia and Herzegovine, was the Roma population, women and people with disabilities. Provided assistance referred to medical equipment to hospitals, economic packages and disinfectants. The project was implemented by CARE International Balkans and few local NGOs and it is worth 200.000 Euros.

„We did an economic analysis of the economic effects of the pandemic on marginalized groups and on local economies where it was found that the effect on marginalized groups is great, and that the measures taken by both local communities and higher levels of government are almost non-existent. As a first intervention we had helped with hygiene packages for 1000 families in these 10 municipalities. Then assistance to the health centers that have received disinfection equipment as well as protective equipment in the form of masks, gloves and other types of protective equipment and disinfectants. The third component referred to economic aid where 93 beneficiaries were selected who have received assistance in equipment, seeds, in accordance with their applications and business idea“, Sumka Bučan, regional director of CARE International Balkans said.

• Ten  helth centers in ten minicipalities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, within the project have recieved: 1 disinfection pump, 100 L of disinfectant liquid, 50 FFP protective masks, 400 disposable surgical masks, 10 packs of gloves per 100 PCS, 100 protective visors, 1 protective suit.

• Number of economic aid packages per municipalities: Rudo 15, Bratunac 10, Prnjavor 10, Vitez 10, Bijeljina 10, Visoko 11, Goražde 10, Modriča 14, Vukosavlje 3.  Packages have recieved 74 women and 19 men.

• Number of hygiene packages by municipalities: Vitez 200, Prnjavor 100, Vukosavlje 100, Bijeljina 100, Visoko 100, Goražde 100, Bratunac 100, Rudo 100, Modriča 100.

Hygiene packages overall got 4,000 users, economic packages 384, and medical equipment 50,000 indirect users.

The overall figures show that during the three months of the project, 54, 383 people benefited.

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