Some humanitarians build, through their work, quietly albeit powerfully, a path towards a better future. One of those exceptional people is Joanna Shields, the founder of the Jericho Foundation, who has recently been awarded the Certificate of Appreciation by the City of Sarajevo for her dedicated work.
Although many may not have heard of the Jericho Foundation, its impact is profound throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. With scholarships granted to 68 university students across the country, the Foundation opens the door to education and provides an opportunity for young people to realize their dreams.
The story of the Jericho Foundation begins as a response to the tragic events of the war in BiH. Inspired by the desire to help, Joanna Shields launched a mission to support those who were forgotten. Her dedicated work answered the call for help, and today, her legacy lives on through the work of the Jericho Foundation.
"Please don't forget me", were the words of a little girl named Melissa that became the bedrock on which the Jericho Foundation was built. That sentence encouraged Joanna Shields to act and provide support to young people in BiH. Melisa recalls today: "You never know when meeting someone will change your life. Almost 30 years ago, my meeting with Joanna determined my life. Since that meeting in a refugee camp, our families remain connected to this day. I became part of the Jericho Foundation before it was founded. I was lucky to be the first Foundation scholar, which made it possible for me to get a university education. For me and my family, in the post-war era, education was a window to the future and the hope of returning to a 'normal' life. Today, I am proud of the Foundation, which has grown so much and provides hope to a large number of young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina."
The Jericho Foundation not only provided scholarships but also became a symbol of hope and support for young people in BiH. Scholar Mirnes (age 22) points out: The greatest value of the Foundation is togetherness, which inspires all students to achieve beyond their ideas.
A pharmacy student, Ivona (age 23), says: I think that the greatest value of the Jericho family is togetherness and friendship. I come from a small town in the south of BiH, and I have great friends in the north of the country, because the Foundation brought us closer. It teaches us that we are all the same, have the same problems and joys, and makes us equal and joyful, concludes Ivona (age 23), a pharmacy student.
The Jericho Foundation encourages its scholars to be active in the community. In Sarajevo, they participated in the cleaning of the Barice picnic area; in Banja Luka, they participated in workshops with students of the Ihtus Youth Center, and in Mostar, they were involved in the preparation of aid packages for an association that helps the elderly and socially vulnerable people. The activities were supported by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, in BiH, the UN Peacebuilding Fund and the Italian Embassy to BiH.
John Kennedy Mosoti, the UNFPA Representative for BiH, emphasized the importance of connecting young people from different parts of BiH: Our mission is to fulfill the potential of every young person, and we are proud to be this year's partner of the Jericho Foundation. Almost 70 young people from Foca, Zenica, Sarajevo, Mostar, Banja Luka and Tuzla participated in seminars on writing CVs, motivational letters, preparations for interviews as well as on an adequate response to hate speech on social networks.
Through the joint efforts of the Jericho Foundation and UNFPA, education becomes a key tool for empowering youth and strengthening social cohesion. These programmes contribute to better understanding and cooperation among young people from different communities, which is essential for building a more prosperous future for all in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
