The Hastor Foundation supports its scholarship holders in different ways. Some of them completely change their views on the world, find motivation in volunteering, and become successful members of the community. One such scholarship holder is Lejla Joldić.
Lejla comes from Kalesija and is studying to become a nurse/medical technician at the Medical High School. She finished the first grade of the high school with excellent results. Through volunteers’ meetings, Lejla discovered who she really is, which subsequently resulted in her becoming a volunteer at many organizations like the Youth Community “Trik” in Kalesija, Red Cross Kalesija, and the office of the Association of Secondary School Students in Bosnia and Herzegovina in Kalesija. She points out that she has been a volunteer at these organizations for one year now and that she has gained a lot of experience. The friends she has met during volunteering activities are hard-working people who work with Lejla so that their community can become better. They have organized many projects for children and youth and have presented their community in the best light.
This year, Lejla took part in a project supported by the IOM and USAID. She started mentoring sessions with nine of her colleagues from Zvornik and Kalesija, where they had a chance to learn, work, and have fun. A result of all of that was the first youth podcast in Bosnia and Herzegovina which aired on TV channels across our country. Of course, Lejla did not stop here. Just a few days before we contacted her, Lejla had started participating in the camp “Youth Bank” which had been organized by the Tuzla Community Foundation.
She can only say the words of praise for the Hastor Foundation. Lejla has been a proud scholarship holder for a few years now:
I really own much gratitude to the Hastor Foundation, a scholarship holder of which I have been ever since the fifth grade of elementary school. The Foundation set the basis for my self-esteem, eloquence, creating my opinion, and building my character. Thanks to the Foundation – which provides me with additional education and learning through volunteers’ meetings, besides only financial support necessary for the school and life – I have developed into an independent person that does not have a problem with expressing opinions and a person that will make changes in the society. I am eager to ensure a better living environment for myself and others. When I started attending volunteers’ meetings, I was very reserved and shy. I did not want to stick out; I was fulfilling my obligations, but nothing more than that. Thanks to all of my mentors who have passed much knowledge to all of us through the topics that we tackle every year, I am a person today who will be among the first ones to express an opinion, draw a conclusion, or simply give support to another person. For these reasons, I want to say a huge “thank you” to all the people at the Hastor Foundation, my mentors, and colleagues, because they helped me find myself, strengthen my self-esteem, and become part of this beautiful philanthropic family.
Prepared by: Fatima Gazić
Translated by: Said Kamenica
