A Safe Environment for a Carefree Childhood for Children in Jablanica

Parents of preschool children in Jablanica can finally breathe a sigh of relief: the only kindergarten in the municipality is getting a new building that will provide children with a safe and healthy environment, with the support of the European Union and the Municipality of Jablanica.

The “Pčelica” kindergarten in Jablanica has been through a difficult period. Built as a modular structure in 1978 and operated as part of the local primary school until 1996, the kindergarten has for years faced infrastructure limitations that could not fully meet the modern needs of early childhood education.

Then, in October 2024, disaster struck as devastating floods hit Jablanica. Hours of heavy rainfall triggered flash floods and landslides.

The kindergarten building sustained significant damage. Its ageing roof gave way under the heavy rainfall, creating a series of problems for the institution.

“All the rooms in the kindergarten were leaking. Water was dripping in every room,” recalls Sanja Idrizović, director of the kindergarten. “Then we had problems with the electricity, followed by issues with the sewage system, which became blocked and overflowed.”

The kindergarten, attended by 85 children aged three to six, was closed for ten days.

However, this was not the end of the problems facing the institution.

“Moisture also got in,” Sanja says, quickly adding: “There is nothing worse than moisture when you have children around. At every parents’ meeting, moisture was always one of the issues raised.” She adds that the staff did everything within their power to improve the situation, but “you cannot keep patching something that is this old.”

Azra, whose two children attended “Pčelica”, recalls that period. “It was terrible. The air quality was constantly poor. The children would come home smelling of damp. I had to change all their clothes immediately. Then came the coughing and bronchitis. They were constantly coughing, and we simply could not get rid of it,” Azra says.

And since “Pčelica” is the only kindergarten in the Municipality of Jablanica, parents had no other alternative for childcare.

Improving the kindergarten to meet the needs of the community: First nursery and increased capacity

Given the age of the existing building and the damage its wooden modular structure sustained due to prolonged exposure to high levels of moisture during the floods, a technical assessment determined that repairing the building would not be justified. A decision was therefore made to construct a new kindergarten through the EU Support to Floods Recovery in Bosnia and Herzegovina project, with financial support from the European Union and co-financing from the Municipality of Jablanica.

In this way, the existing infrastructure will not simply be restored but upgraded to better reflect the needs of the local community. The new kindergarten will have increased capacity, allowing around 20 children over the age of three who are currently on the waiting list to enroll in preschool education.

For the first time ever, the kindergarten will have facilities for children of nursery age, making it easier for parents to return to the labour market and contributing to new economic opportunities.

“Where are women who want to work supposed to leave their children? That was a really big problem for us, and the construction of the new building will solve it,” says Sanja.

While the new building is under construction, the children have been accommodated in the nearby “Suljo Čilić” Primary School, ensuring continuity of their stay and educational activities.

Azra’s eldest child has since started primary school, while her younger child still attends kindergarten. “I am so relieved that they left the modular building,” she says. “I am very happy that a new kindergarten is being built. It is an investment in our children, in the conditions in which they grow up, and in the future of the entire community.”

The entire community is eagerly and joyfully awaiting the completion of the new building.

Every morning on her way to work, Sanja passes by the construction site and takes the opportunity to peek through the protective fence to see how the works are progressing.

“I am truly happy that our children will be able to enjoy the new facilities. It is a great joy for both us and them,” says Sanja.

The EU Support to Floods Recovery in Bosnia and Herzegovina Project, worth EUR 20 million, is funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The project was designed to respond to the needs of people in communities directly affected by the natural disaster in October 2024, with a particular focus on socially and economically vulnerable people, large households, unemployed people, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.

The project supports the rehabilitation and construction of housing units, the restoration of local communal infrastructure and public institutions, as well as assistance to agricultural producers and small and medium-sized enterprises in rebuilding their businesses.