BILD
97 Hasana Brkica
Tuzla 75000
Bosnia and Herzegovina
ph: 00387-35/286-777
fax: 00387-35/286-777
email: info@bildbosnia.org
Creating Sustainable Income and
Empowering Women in Eastern Bosnia
 a project funded by  Open Society Institute  South East Europe |
Since 2006, BILD has been empowering women in eastern Bosnia by helping them harness their collective purchasing power and establish sustainable sources of income.
Working with 6 women's associations representing over 250 families who live along the Drina river in eastern Bosnia, BILD provides start-up funds and helps organize deliveries of baby chicks and chicken food to groups of women who have, with their families, returned to their pre-war homes.
Since February of 2006, BILD has delivered over 27,000 baby chickens and 93,000 kilograms of chicken food to over 250 families through 6 women’s associations in eastern Bosnia. With the local investment of time and resources raising the chicks, the total value of the full grown chickens through this project from 2006 to 2010 is $192,000.
In addition to helping the women increase their family income, the project helps strengthen their community organizations and promotes reconciliation.
The project first began in late 2005 when two US soldiers in the international peacekeeping force, LTC Denny Peeples and SGT Louis Ponticas, donated $6,000 to help women in eastern Bosnia. BILD representatives contacted our associate organization Prijateljice, an umbrella women's organization in Tuzla, to learn how we could best help women in eastern Bosnia. They advised us to invest in baby chicks and chicken food and thus the project „Creating Sustainable Income and Empowering Women" commenced. The project was expanded at the beginning of 2010 with a $24,000 grant from the Soros Foundation.
Here a member of the Djulici women's association is using a coupon to receive 10 free chicks and 40 kilograms of free chicken food while purchasing 40 chicks and 100 kg. of chicken food. Her investment of $75 combined with BILD donation of $30 and her time and labor raising the chicks will result in 50 full grown chickens worth $375.
BILD staff members Dijana Zeherović and Alija Muratović explaining the project to the members of the Divič women's association
Suada Bajramović (left) represents the Djuliči women's association which has 83 members. Each leader organizes the members, takes orders, and collects their payments. Suada then meets with BILD staff to finalize the numbers and combine them with BILD's donations. Here Suada is meeting with BILD staff member Diana Zeherović.