Pilot Action Bosnia and Herzegovina

Pilot action in Bosnia and Herzegovina aimed at offering employment of 5 asylum seekers and refugees through social entrepreneurship in an agricultural cooperative for a season (4 months).

The pilot action was implemented through 5 phases:

1. Mapping of needs of refugees and asylum seekers,
2. Development of training and mentoring program for economic integration of refugees and asylum seekers through social entrepreneurship,
3. Implementation of training and mentoring program for economic integration of refugees and asylum seekers through social entrepreneurship,
4. Preparation of tool-box by the principle of one-stop shop and Implementation of seasonal working engagement and incentives package of asylum seekers

Since the beginning of 2018, Bosnia and Herzegovina has experienced a drastic increase in the number of migrants and refugees entering the country. With the influx of migrants and refugees, the competent institutions have faced a challenge in terms of human and financial resources. Migrants and refugees entering BiH use two main routes in an irregular manner, mostly arriving by land from Serbia and Montenegro. Most migrants and refugees who came from Serbia remained in the country after Hungary closed its state borders in 2015. The second main route starts in Greece and runs through Albania and Montenegro to BiH. However, during the month of July 2018, a new trend was noticed in which refugees and migrants increasingly avoid Sarajevo and move directly to the Una-Sana Canton. According to the BiH Border Police, the country of origin of most migrants and refugees is determined on the basis of the statements of the refugees and migrants themselves, because most of them do not have identification documents. According to UNHCR statistics the most asylum seekers come from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Turkey since 2018.

However most of them want to leave Bosnia and Herzegovina and keep trying to do it by crossing border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina illegally. Still, there are asylum seekers and refugees who expressed desire to stay and live in Bosnia and Herzegovina. By obtaining the status of asylum seeker or a refugee they have got right to get employed, get educated etc. The problem is their integration, because at the moment UNHCR and other international organizations provide asylum seekers and refugees with accommodation, health care etc.

RAUSK is addressing the problem of their economic integration by employing 5 of asylum seekers and refugees through social entrepreneurship. In this way RAUSK wants to show that integration of asylum seekers and refugees is possible and that they are individuals who want to work and provide for themselves and their families.