Nearly 1,700 Businesses Launched: Who is Behind the Success of People with Disabilities?

(Patria) - "When you can't get a job, create one yourself" is the message that best describes the self-employment program that the Fund for Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been implementing for years.

The program is implemented throughout the Federation of BiH, and its goal is to enable persons with disabilities to, with systemic and financial support, start their own businesses and ensure economic independence. Through public calls that the Fund announces twice a year, 1,657 incentives for self-employment have been awarded so far, turning numerous ideas into sustainable business stories.

The Self-Employment Program includes an initial financial incentive for starting a business, as well as continuous support through tax and contribution refunds, which significantly reduces financial risks for new entrepreneurs.

Success Stories

One example of successful self-employment is Enes Muhamedbegović, director of the "EMS Factory" craft, who launched a mini sock factory in 2018. Speaking about the beginnings, he emphasizes that this story would not have been possible without institutional support.

"If the Fund hadn't existed, I guarantee you this factory wouldn't be here today. Those funds were the initial spark that started this whole story," Muhamedbegović said, encouraging other persons with disabilities to take the same step.

The importance of formalizing work and security is confirmed by beekeeper Edin Dedić, owner of the "Dedić med" craft.

"I was an amateur beekeeper, I worked unregistered. Thanks to the Fund, I am now registered and pay taxes regularly. The Fund pays my contributions, and that meant the most to me," said Dedić.

Later in the conversation, he adds a personal dimension to this support: "If it weren't for the Fund, I wouldn't be a beekeeper. If I didn't have a job, I'd be in the hospital. This way, when I work, I don't think about illness."

In addition to tax and contribution refunds, the Fund also provides additional support through funds from Lot 4, amounting to up to 7,000 KM, intended for the purchase of equipment, raw materials, workplace adaptation, and co-financing of current expenses.

Ljubica Paradžik Vukoja, director of a dental practice, who has been cooperating with the Fund for many years, is using this type of continuous support. "The Fund refunds me the equivalent of the contributions I pay for my health and pension insurance, and twice a year I apply for public calls which are very important for supporting my business," she explained.

Continuous Support

Speaking about her personal decision to go into entrepreneurship, Paradžik Vukoja emphasizes:

"I decided that I no longer wanted to be a patient draining the system. I quit my job at the Health Center and opened my practice. When I found out the Fund existed, I was honestly surprised at how precisely and responsibly it works."

Dentist Nikolina Marušić also believes that persons with disabilities are equal participants in the labor market.

"I believe that such individuals are equal and that there is no difference compared to other people," she said.

The Fund's self-employment program is a clear message that persons with disabilities have the knowledge, ideas, and strength to build their own business stories. With continuous support and the trust that the Fund has been building for years, self-employment becomes a path to dignity, independence, and full social inclusion.