Volunteer engagement holds a special place in the activities of the Hastor Foundation. Through volunteering, we create changes in society, but also within ourselves. All scholarship recipients of the Hastor Foundation emphasize the importance of the experience gained through volunteer activities for their future success. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a place where young people strive to stand out with their achievements and contributions to the community, thus creating a better society for all of us. One such young person who has been fulfilling all of the above since childhood is scholarship recipient Lejla Bolukbaši.
Lejla has been a part of the Hastor Foundation’s large family for two years now. She is a ninth-grade student at the First elementary school in Ilidža. With her strong dedication to learning, researching, and volunteering, Lejla, even as a pupil, serves as a source of inspiration for all of us.
She demonstrates an exceptional desire to achieve outstanding results. Her passion for knowledge knows no bounds, and those who know her praise her for the effort she puts into everything she does. Lejla is characterized by qualities such as responsibility, self-confidence, friendliness, and has always aimed high. In addition to exceptional success in school subjects, Lejla excels in competitions beyond the school level. She has participated in cantonal competitions in the Turkish language, and is currently focused on preparing for future cantonal competitions that await her.
In addition to the activities mentioned above, Lejla has been an active member of her school’s choir for five years. She participates in various events, marking municipal and state holidays. It is worth mentioning that she is no stranger to media attention, as she has participated several times in television and radio shows, particularly on Face TV and Radio Bir. She fondly recalls these experiences and says that they are particularly dear to her.
Lejla’s volunteer engagement within various organizations demonstrates her deep commitment to the well-being of the community. Whether it’s organizing humanitarian events or encouraging peers to take action, Lejla has become an icon of volunteerism in her community. Here, we should again remember that Lejla is a ninth-grade student! If you thought that was all and that a ninth-grade girl already has too many activities, you are mistaken because volunteers like Lejla don’t need to have time – they just have a heart. Lejla also stands out through humanitarian work. As a volunteer at school, she participated in fundraising for children in Palestine. She says that volunteering for her represents a selfless contribution to the community:
Through volunteering, individuals gain new skills, build community, and have the opportunity to positively impact society, and empathy is a crucial element that motivates volunteers to actively contribute to the well-being of others, making their volunteer experience extremely significant.
Lejla has shown her empathy by participating in the ”My Hair, Your Hair” project. She donated her hair to children suffering from cancer. Like all volunteers, empathy often acts as a bridge that connects her with communities she supports. Volunteers play a crucial role in building sustainable communities and encourage positive changes at the local and global levels. These experiences have given Lejla the opportunity to engage in solving real problems and to develop a team spirit. She has become a crucial element in building a better society.
Our scholarship recipient especially expresses gratitude to the Hastor Foundation. The scholarship eases her school expenses and provides support on the path to realizing her dreams of completing high school and pursuing further studies. She also reflects on what volunteering in various projects, including activities of the Hastor Foundation, means to her:
For me, this not only represents an opportunity for pleasant socializing but also a source of invaluable experience that will help me in the future. The Hastor Foundation is not just a source of financial support to me, but also a key factor towards future success.
Lejla Bolukbaši rightly deserves recognition and support from the community because, through her example, she shows that dedication, hard work, and commitment can impact the world around us. The active participation of young people in volunteer projects not only builds their skills and self-confidence but also empowers them to recognize the importance of social responsibility.
We particularly emphasize how Lejla wants to encourage all young people to find their passion and join volunteer activities. She tells us that there is no better way to feel useful and leave a positive mark on the world around us. She hopes that others will also find joy in volunteering as she has.
We wish for Lejla to continue doing things for the common good and with that to positively change the world. We also hope that inspired by her story, we will also start bringing positivechanges into our own lives.
