Written by: Manuel Pineiro Gonzales
Twenty- two volunteers from three Croatian towns: Petrinja, Kutina and Sisak, and three Bosnian towns: Derventa, Bihac and Banja Luka, worked at camp “Golden fibula“ to interweave intense relationship between the youth people of the bands o the border-line between the 17th and 23rd of September 2012 in Sisak.
This action was included into the project “Volunteering for Cross border Local Community Development”, organized by Local Democracy Agency Sisak. The atmosphere was warm, friendly and there were a very fluid communication between all people. The volunteers did a great job and got a total show of cooperation, solidarity and partnership.
Volunteers developed five areas throughout the week: educational, creative, entertainment, sport and journalism. The first item was developed in the Banket Sala of Hotel Panonija, through discussion where volunteers made presentations and exhibitions of various issues and problems, such as the explanation the European VoluntaryService, the rules and laws about cooperation projects, new technologies and Internet or politics and propaganda, for example, among others issues. The creativity, sports and journalism was developed in the Home for Elderly and Dependence Persons of Sisak.
The activities was carried out, according to its Home rules: 9:00-12:00 in the morning, and 15:00-18.00 in the afternoon. Volunteers enjoyed the company of elders. In handicraft workshop, they helped create beautiful necklaces and bracelets with different skills, painted vases, sewing brooches or making dolls, among many other things. They also played board games like chess, checkers, “Don’t get angry”, darts and cards. Upstairs, in the rooms, the volunteers read books, newspapers or magazines and told about their life experiences.
The 19th of September, on Wednesday morning, the volunteers and the elderly people, in the company of the children of the nursery, had a short excursion to the Old Town of Sisak. The 21st of September, on Friday afternoon, the volunteers and Home beneficiaries participated in the action “Cofee with volunteers“, helping to spread the campaign “Croatiais volunteering“, under the slogan “Volunteer – Be a Change!”
Mainly, the aims of the camp were to increase life quality of the Home beneficiaries, help them in overcoming loneliness and social isolation and to support creativity development of both Home beneficiaries and work camp volunteers. The volunteers could break prejudices, build respect and positive attitude towards the Home beneficiaries. As well, they could have a opportunity to know better members of different ethnicity and religion from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Thus, they helped build a peaceful society.
