George Eliot says, “Blessed is the influence of one true loving human soul on another.” Within the framework of our Hastor Foundation, the concept of love is realized in many ways, with the most special being demonstrated through a commitment to volunteer engagement. Thanks to a carefully crafted volunteering system, scholarship recipients have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of altruism. In the “Scholar of the Month” section, we aim to highlight individuals among them who, with their selfless dedication and activism, significantly enrich our community on a daily basis and contribute to the achievement of our goals. Adisa Salkić is an inspiring example of a scholarship recipient who, with her contribution to the Hastor Foundation, has rightfully earned the title of Scholar of the Month.
Adisa Salkić comes from Čelić and has been a scholarship recipient of the Hastor Foundation for the last four years. Her interests are focused on natural sciences, medicine, foreign languages, literature, and other forms of art, as well as social activism, with a particular emphasis on humanitarian work. During this year, she graduated from the Study of Medical Laboratory Diagnostics at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Tuzla. She excelled as a student even in primary school, actively participated in the implementation of many projects, contributed to the work of various sections and clubs, and initiated humanitarian actions while achieving outstanding results in competitions in various fields.
Adisa has, considering the implementation of the new volunteering model, actively participated in the development of a manual for mentorship in volunteering. She views this responsibility not only as an honor but also as an opportunity to leave an mark on the Hastor Foundation through her hard work and knowledge.
Several other scholarship recipients of the Hastor Foundation also participated in the manual’s creation, and my main involvement was in the section titled “How to Prepare for a Volunteering Meeting and the Qualities Every Mentor Should Possess.
I shared my experiences gained from working with children, both in the local and wider community. I believe that the most crucial aspect of preparing for a volunteering meeting is to be responsible and creative. Responsibility is essential because it involves learning how to respect and time and deadlines, as well as having expectations for the students to demonstrate responsibility. This means that mentors, in every sense of the word, are educators and practitioners of a code of conduct that is both respectful and responsible. Creativity is one of the key aspects of volunteering because with new and innovative ideas come greater community interest in participating in the philanthropic mission promoted by the Hastor Foundation.
Adisa has achieved remarkable results in her role as a lecturer in various workshops, and her speaking and expressive abilities have opened doors and stages for her. The educator aspect she has explored is closely connected to her role as a mentor within the Hastor Foundation.
I am most proud of the fact that, in my role as a mentor, I have accompanied numerous generations of wonderful and successful young people who have themselves become mentors and left a mark on our society. In the behavior and speech of the people I worked with, I have noticed gratitude because I never allowed them to give up or succumb to seemingly insurmountable obstacles. I taught them how to apply their knowledge and skills in their everyday lives and in education. I focused on helping them overcome the fear of public speaking and not be afraid of addressing large audiences, taking oral exams, presenting business ideas, and more. I made an effort to prepare them for their career paths and to enter the job market confidently, without any fear or tension. However, most importantly, I tried to be their friend and role model, to extend a friendly hand to each student individually and show them that they are of great value and that they can find their worth and purpose in this world.
Adisa mentions that her competencies and ambitions reached a higher level when she became a scholarship recipient of the Hastor Foundation:
I became a mentor to younger scholarship recipients, elementary and high school students, and I can freely say that every child I mentored became my family. I selflessly endeavored to impart the knowledge I possess, as well as to prepare them for life’s challenges and educational hurdles. My still unfulfilled wish is to become a lecturer or professor, and during volunteer meetings, I had the opportunity to step into the shoes of a teacher and experience that magical feeling of imparting knowledge to others. Every time I stood in front of my students to share something, present, or conduct a workshop, my satisfaction was at its highest level because I saw the eagerness in the eyes of my young audience to learn from me, and I felt that they saw a role model in me.
Since its inception, the mission of the Hastor Foundation has been to spread knowledge among young people. However, an equally important component is active support for the local community. Inspired by the volunteer activities of the Hastor Foundation, our Adisa, in collaboration with several other scholarship recipients of the Hastor Foundation, successfully organized a series of philanthropic initiatives. These initiatives included fundraising to purchase school supplies for first graders, collecting clothing and footwear for children from lower socio-economic backgrounds in the municipality of Čelić, gathering food products for families in need, and participating in the maintenance and renovation of playgrounds and recreational areas.
Adisa recognizes the following as the key role of the Hastor Foundation:
Being a part of the Hastor Foundation is a special level of satisfaction. It helped me enhance my skills and graduate with high honors and tremendous self-confidence, fearlessly facing any challenges, and most importantly, being a compassionate human being. Initially expecting only financial support, I received much more, something I couldn’t even dream of – life education that can’t be acquired in any school and knowledge that can be passed down to all generations.
Prepared by: Semina Sadiković
