HISTORY/PAST
OUR BEGINNING
Wings of Hope Foundation was founded in Wageningen/Netherlands in 1994. Three years later it opened offices in Minhen/Germany and Sarajevo/BiH. The organization “Wings of Hope” came to Bosnia and Herzegovina to help people in the largest city, Sarajevo. It became the biggest provider of war trauma help to people. Their work was interrupted not only by the end of the war. By the end of the war, only in Sarajevo, approximately 1,500 children had been helped, mostly between the ages of 3 and 16.
In the general chaos there was no one who would take care of children without relatives, who were left alone, neglected, and as victims of psychic violence and abuse, and the children of institutions “Mjedenica” (children with disabilities and in need) and “Dječiji dom Bjelave” (orphanage) and the Institute for Special Education “Mjedenica”. One of the first projects of Wings of Hope in Bosnia and Herzegovina was the renovation of two institutions.
The first psychosocial assistance programs began in 1996, in collaboration with the Bošlama/Reintegration of returning students into the school system and work with youth through the “Promjena kroz detraumatizaciju” project. One of the key projects was the founding of the Community School in Rozvanović near Prijedor.
From 2000, Wings of Hope began intensive programs of working with severely traumatized children with the Banja Luka, Mostar, Sarajevo and Tuzla schools. The “Promjena kroz detraumatizaciju” program was held from 2002 to 2008. Wings of Hope successfully organized eight international educational camps at Bjelašnica with 250 participants from BiH and the region.
In late 2003, Wings of Hope Center for psychosocial support for children and youth was opened in Sarajevo.
In March 2004, the Foundation was transformed in Sarajevo into a Bosnian Foundation for helping victims named “Wings of Hope/Krila nade”.
Over the past ten years, Wings of Hope programs in Bosnia and Herzegovina have had around 17,000 users, with around 700 implementers working on them and operating in around 60 locations, founding and leading local non-formal education of staff, including psychologists, pedagogues, neuropsychiatrists from all over BiH, in the field of therapeutic work with traumatized children and youth, which is the most important part of the Foundation.
OUR HISTORY/PAST
From the founding in Germany to today, Wings of Hope has traveled a long path filled with dedication, courage, and unwavering care for the most vulnerable.
Survivors of the Dachau concentration camp founded Wings of Hope International in Germany. The organization immediately began sending aid to help victims of the then-raging war around the world, with a special focus on psychosocial rehabilitation.
Wings of Hope began operating in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in a country devastated by a four-year war. The focus was on providing psychosocial help to trauma survivors, especially in Sarajevo and surrounding areas.
Wings of Hope Foundation successfully registered as a domestic non-governmental organization in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It began developing new programs adapted to local needs and context.
Opening of an independent Center for Psychotherapy in Sarajevo — the first specialized center of its kind in the region. The Center offers individual and group therapy for children, youth, and adults.
The Foundation expanded its work to education programs, peacebuilding, and youth initiatives. Focus shifted to working with schools in BiH, including intercultural and peacebuilding processes and multicultural dialogue.
The Foundation marked 20 years of continuous work in Bosnia and Herzegovina. By this time, support had been provided to tens of thousands of users, and the organization had become one of the leading actors in the field of mental health and social protection in the region.
Continuation of the Safe House program to protect the lives and safety of people in need, along with continued education of professionals in the field of mental health and psychotherapy. The Foundation employs over 700 workers and collaborates with more than 60 partners.
Today, Wings of Hope Foundation continues to stay true to its roots, adapting to new challenges and needs of society. The focus remains on mental health system improvement, mentoring, and building a more just society for all citizens of BiH.
