12 trucks of humanitarian aid heading to Syria

A press conference was held today to announce the results of the two-month humanitarian campaign of the association "Pomozi.ba" called "From Bosnia to Syria 2017". This is the largest humanitarian aid convoy to Syria to date, with 233 tons of flour collected, about 21 tons of meat products, and about ten tons of other goods such as biscuits or clothing. The total value of the aid, which will leave our country tomorrow in 12 trucks, is estimated at around 450,000 KM.

It is planned that 2,300,000 loaves of bread will be made from the collected flour, which will be regularly distributed to Syrian refugees, while the meat industry "Ovako" has prepared over 20 tons of canned meat products with an extended shelf life. The reasons for the exceptional response from citizens, individuals, and companies are obvious, as Elvir Karalić, founder of this organization, said: "What we once were, they are now."

Amjad Alrez, former mayor of the Old Town of Damascus, also attended the conference and thanked them for the collected aid on behalf of himself and the Syrian people.

- Before the war, Syria was a country without debt. Today, its loss is estimated at 350 billion dollars. About 80 percent of Syrians live below the poverty line, there are 8 million refugees in the country, and 4 million of them are outside Syria - said Alrez and expressed hope that the war will end this year, and that Syria will be able to begin rebuilding the country.

The association "Pomozi.ba", which has so far collected aid for over 200,000 people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, is also active in providing assistance to people in need in other countries. In January 2013, together with several BiH associations, "Pomozi.ba" sent the first convoy of aid to Syria. In the summer of 2015, 100 tons of aid were collected for refugees in Serbia, and a bus of doctors and medical workers from Sarajevo was organized. In August 2016, 40,000 KM were paid for refugees in Turkey, and in December 2016, in cooperation with the association Solidarnost from Bihać, funds were paid for 20 tons of flour, from which 200,000 loaves of bread were made for refugees in Syria and Turkey.