When you join a large foundation like the Hastor Foundation, doors to extraordinary opportunities for growth, personal development, and self-discovery open up. This month’s interviewee is Amila Čolić. She comes from Žepče and is a student at the Faculty of Health Studies in Sarajevo, majoring in Radiologic Technology. She has been a Hastor Foundation scholarship recipient for four years.
This month, Amila and her volunteer group held a special and commendable meeting where the main topic was our homeland and our love for it. We all know well the natural beauties and cultural-historical landmarks that Bosnia and Herzegovina possesses, although we often neglect their deeper significance and potential. Nine scholarship holders from the Žepče area, aged 10 to 18, had the opportunity to express their love for their homeland and gain new knowledge through creative workshops.
However, their gathering didn’t end there. Through volunteer hours in the local community, they dedicated attention to ecological awareness and nature conservation. They made bags from old fabrics and figures for board games like “Tic-Tac-Toe” and “Ludo” from plastic bottle caps. There was no shortage of laughter and fun. Various motifs inspired them to create different items that could also serve as gifts for loved ones.
By participating in this workshop, the students had the opportunity to develop their creativity, become aware of the importance of recycling and ecology, and together with their parents, contribute to the preservation of our planet. The atmosphere was filled with enthusiasm and camaraderie, and all participants proudly displayed their creations at the end of the workshop. Through joint work and creativity, we managed to create beautiful items and at the same time do something good for our environment.
Students experience their volunteer hours in a special way, and this time, seventeen-year-old Almedina Jusufović from Željezno Polje (Žepče) shared her impressions with us. She is a third-grade student at the Mixed Secondary School “Žepče,” in the General Gymnasium program. She became a Hastor Foundation scholarship recipient less than a year ago.
We recently had a very interesting meeting. We talked about the beauty of our homeland and nature conservation through recycling. There is a lot of paper, plastic, and cardboard that pollutes our environment, and we used that to make something new. I am very glad to be part of the Hastor Foundation, and every meeting is a new and beautiful experience for me, thanks to our mentor who brings each topic to life in a creative way.
Finally, Amila shared a message with all the newsletter readers:
Never give up. Believe in yourself and your skills. Volunteer – it’s a skill that will change your perspective on the world, something that will bring you peace of mind and inner satisfaction. Volunteering is an opportunity to show kindness, love, and care for the people around you and your environment. Through volunteering, you not only help others but also improve yourself. Find joy in it, support each other, and together, let’s build a better future!
