Joint donation from IOM and migrants presented to the Bihać Cantonal Hospital 'Dr. Irfan Ljubijankić'

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The manager of the Temporary Reception Centre (TRC) Lipa on behalf of the Service for Foreigners' Affairs, Almin Imamović, together with staff from the International Organization for Migration in BiH (IOM): camp manager Kenan Keserović and representatives of the IOM office in Bihać, Jasmin Gaco and Bogdan Runić, as well as migrant volunteers from the Creative Corner of TRC Lipa, yesterday handed over handmade soaps and bed linen sets to the director of the Cantonal Hospital “Dr. Irfan Ljubijankić”, Dr. Hajrudin Havić. The aforementioned items were made by migrants from the TRC Lipa reception centre, with the desire to contribute to the development of the local communities where they reside. Disinfectants were also presented to the hospital.

The donation was specifically directed to the Department of Paediatrics and Paediatric Surgery of the Cantonal Hospital, and is a suitable response to their needs for hygiene and basic necessities. This donation will be useful for the daily work and functioning of the said departments.

"It is a pleasure to receive this valuable donation which strengthens the work of the Department of Paediatrics and the Paediatric Surgery Unit within the Cantonal Hospital Dr. Irfan Ljubijankić, and I believe this is a positive example of how migrants can contribute to local communities through their creativity, in this case to the Cantonal Hospital," said the director of the Cantonal Hospital “Dr. Irfan Ljubijankić”, Dr. Hajrudin Havić.

All donated items are part of the “From us - for you” collection of the “No Nation Fashion” brand, whose work is financially supported by the European Union's Foreign Policy Instruments Service (FPI) under the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP), through the project “Strengthening social cohesion in communities hosting people on the move” implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

On the foundations of cultural exchange, creative cooperation and mutual learning, the “No Nation Fashion” brand was established in migrant reception facilities in June 2021 and stemmed from the vision that human mobility brings new opportunities for both migrants and the communities that host them. It also reflects the need of people on the move to give back to the communities in Sarajevo Canton and Una-Sana Canton that have temporarily hosted them on their migration route.

"In cooperation with the Service for Foreigners' Affairs, we give migrants from the Temporary Reception Centre Lipa the opportunity to give back and contribute to local communities through creative workshops offered at the centre," said the acting head of the IOM office in Bihać, Mr. Jasmin Gaco. "So far, aprons, bed linen, bags, soaps and toys from the 'From us - for you' collection have been made by volunteers among migrants in temporary reception centres across BiH, and these items have found their home with many citizens and institutions in BiH."

Through social cohesion activities, IOM in BiH, together with the Service for Foreigners' Affairs, will continue to support activities aimed at strengthening ties between migrants and host communities, and continue to create opportunities for migrants who wish to do something useful for the local communities across BiH that have offered them hospitality.