A gap year in Bosnia

Gap years in Bosnia

To make a real difference on your Gap Year, choose Bosnia-Herzegovina. It takes courage and compassion to work as a volunteer out here, working among children who have seen their parents killed or rebuilding war-torn communities. The personal and educational rewards are rich. And, virtuous feel-good factor aside, the attractions are many: breathtaking countryside and medieval castles, shimmering lakes and snow-capped mountains. Oh, and, of course, cheap food and beer...

Gap Year Opportunities

There are many voluntary projects in Bosnia-Herzegovina which are being run by UK and overseas charities. Set up to address the after-effects of war in the early 90s, a lot of good work continues. Volunteers are sought to help care for orphaned refugees, rebuild and refurbish homes, medical centres, orphanages and community buildings, and provide educational support and childcare.

Getting Around

From Sarajevo you can catch a train to Zagreb in Croatia or Budapest in Hungary, both of which are well-connected with the rest of Europe. You can also take a bus to Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Austria and Germany – the bus network is better served than rail. Avoid car travel – it’s dangerous, because of the conditions and fellow drivers! Beware, in rural areas, that some places have not yet been checked for landmines – stay on proper routes and don’t walk off-road.

About Bosnia-Herzegovina

Although we refer to the population as ‘Bosnian’, it’s actually split between three ethnic constituents: Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs, a division which has led to much tension through the centuries. In 1992 Bosnia, which was then part of the former Yugoslavia, held a referendum for independence. Croatia and Slovenia had already freed themselves from the Socialist rule of Yugoslav. It should have been simple. But the Bosnian Serbs, who were against independence at the time, boycotted the referendum, with the result that only 63% of the population voted. This meant that the party had failed to achieve the minimum turnout (66%); but they rallied, and declared Bosnia independent anyway. This was the beginning of the Bosnian War.

The Bosnian Serbs began fighting, first as part of the Yugoslav army and later under their own banner of Republika Srpska; supported by Serbia and Yugoslav resources, they quickly took control of most the country, carrying out mass genocide against non-Serbs and piling up masses of graves in Sarajevo and Breko. Bosnian Muslims, supported by funds from the Middle East, formed their own troops to battle against Serbian takeover. By 1993 Croatia had joined the conflict, primarily aiming to expand their land ownership. The violence, ethnic cleansing and occupations that followed were, as the world knows, horrific.

In the autumn of 1991 international bodies began to draw up peace treaties and the UN imposed an arms ban on Yugoslavian territory, but neither prevented the war from escalating. By June 1992 the UN deployed protection forces, who were sent to protect Sarajevo airport and then to distribute aid and medical supplies. Several peace plans were drawn up and declined. In 1994, the Croat-Bosniak war was ended by a peace agreement that was mediated by the USA. Croat forces joined Bosniak forces and they continued to battle against the Bosnian Serbs. In 1995, Serbian troops stormed a ‘safe area’ maintained by the UN, killing thousands of people.

An estimated 100,000 deaths and more than 1 million refugees later, the Bosnian War came to an end. The international community helped to set up negotiations in Paris, and the Dayton Peace Agreement marked an end to one of the worst wars in human history.

Today, Bosnia-Herzegovina is picking itself up after the casualties. Orphaned children – many of whom witnessed extreme violence and even murder of parents – are being cared for by international charities, who are also helping to rebuild shattered communities in Bosnia. The country has now been decentralised, with the district of Brcko under self-government.

With international debt of over $3 billion (2005) and a GDP per capita of $3000 (the UK’s is $33,000), Bosnia’s economy is in recovery. As well as losing 75% of its GDP during the war (mainly because it had to recoup financial strategy afterwards), it also lost thousands of educated professionals. However, its tourism industry is growing very rapidly, with Sarajevo and skiing resorts attracting a lot of international attention. Officials insist that the economy is recovering, and the World Bank reviewed its financial status a couple of years ago, upgrading it from ‘post-conflict’ to ‘transitional’.

What does this mean on the ground? Well, unemployment is staggeringly high – 44% in 2007 – and rural poverty is widespread. Queues are reported outside international embassies as young educated Bosnians try for visas allowing them to emigrate. Because so many men were killed in battle, one in four households is headed by a woman, and the Bosnian training and employment systems are not known for equality. Because of the poor economy, costs for the traveller are very low. You’ll find accommodation and meals cost less than a few pounds, and anything you do spend contributes to the country’s economy, so choose independent accommodation and venues.