Irma Pašić-Muhović was born in Rogatica, and during her education, she lived in Sarajevo. After completing the Secondary Teacher Training School, she enrolled in the Faculty of Education in Sarajevo, specializing in primary education. After a four-year study, she pursued a master’s degree at the same faculty. Currently, she works as a teacher at the Third Elementary School in Ilidža. Before her teaching position, she worked as a teaching assistant for children with developmental difficulties. She has been a scholarship recipient of the Hastor Foundation since its early days, dating back to 2006.
Discovery of the Hastor Foundation came, believe it or not, from newspapers. In today’s digital age, this sounds unreal, but the idea of becoming a scholarship recipient seemed unreal to me until I received a call, informing me of the time and place for signing the contract. Thus, in 2006, I became a proud scholarship recipient of the Hastor Foundation.
Irma still remembers her first experience with the Hastor Foundation and all the visits by teacher Ramo, whose mention brings a smile to the faces of many scholarship recipients, now established and successful individuals.
I often remember teacher Ramo’s visits to the field and his support through warm words, selfless assistance, and persistence in work and helping others.
From the very beginning of her education, Irma was driven by great love for children and a desire to help them achieve their life goals and dreams. Due to all of the above, she speaks about her job with special emotions:
Being a teacher is a great challenge for me. It does not mean you just have to be a teacher – you are a role model, a person in whom little eyes see a superhero with solutions to all problems. You are a person ready to dream and constantly respond to a multitude of questions. A teacher is always learning, preparing for new generations that always come with new interests and desires. Therefore, being a teacher is much more than an ordinary profession.
Receiving any scholarship financially eases the period of studying for oneself and one’s family. The Hastor Foundation, like for many others, for Irma was not just a source of financial assistance; it provided her with professional support, recommendations, and volunteering opportunities. It contributed to making her who she is today and realizing some of her dreams.
Irma fondly recalls her volunteering at the Foundation. During her volunteer work, she gained new knowledge, skills, and learned many things that still help her in working with children. Volunteer hours in the field and working with elementary school children hold a special place in her heart.
I volunteered in various places, such as the Prača–Sarajevo route, which sometimes took more than two hours. We would be tired, but on the way back home, you forget about the fatigue – you feel special, realizing that you helped others that day with your work.
Our alumna of the month has strong memories tied to the Hastor Foundation, where she was a scholarship recipient for five years. Every meeting, trip, field visit, and informal gathering of scholarship recipients brought a new story, new acquaintances, and new friendships. She says their conversations during these gatherings felt like they saw each other every day, not miles apart.
As our alumna of the month, Irma, concludes the conversation, we asked her to send a message to other scholarship recipients:
Be proud to be members of our great Hastor Foundation. Justify not only your expectations but also the expectations of others who have invested their trust in you. Always strive for something new and better, with great encouragement and support. Be persistent and focused, persevere in achieving your goals.
Prepared by: Hana Hajrić
