As the Christmas is around the corner, 91 children with disabilities and cerebral and children palsy in Obrenovac have got their centers refurbished and ready for celebration.
The town of Obrenovac suffered heavily in the floods, which took 57 lives and caused mass evacuations and great material damage. Following the floods, the state and the local self-governments started repairing roads through the expropriation of dikes, sanitation and cleaning. However, many of the affected and most vulnerable people in Obrenovac have been left behind on the priority list. Therefore, the Norwegian embassy decided to support Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation to find a way to provide assistance to the families in need.
Based on a field research, the Foundation decided to focus on the families with damaged houses in Obrenovac identified by Municipal Evaluation Commission, families whose only livable house is damaged, socially vulnerable families, families with many family members, families with elderly/disabled members, families with small children and children with disabilities, single parents with a child/children under 18 and/or a student/ up to 26 and families with ill members (physical/mental/chronic illness).
51 families having members with cerebral and children palsy will benefit from the reconstruction of the Center, while 40 families with children and youth with disabilities will benefit from the renovation of the Day Care Center in the town of Obrenovac.
“We immediately thought of how to help you, and we have contacted the authorities, non-governmental organizations and received a large number of suggestions on how to help. This is an excellent example of cooperation between municipalities, donors, non-governmental organizations and volunteers, as well as the Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities,” Jannicke Bain, Deputy Head of Mission, said while visiting the renovated premises of the Center on December 1.
The project also envisions helping 20 families return to their homes. This activity includes cleaning actions where volunteers will be engaged, and it will be followed by the reconstruction of housing units and providing elementary furniture (mattresses, beds, fridges, washing machines).
Economic empowerment of 10 families affected by the floods is also part of this project. The main focus here is on the agricultural activities.
This is only one project within the Embassy’s Flood Relief Fund aimed to support local organisations, communities and authorities in their efforts to regain normalcy and livelihood, and to develop social structures and cooperation in the flooded areas.