Aronia (chokeberry) from Sanski Most aspires to the Swiss market: Help them and be a part of this humane story
Direct answer to this question was offered by the Center „Fenix“, a non-governmental, non-profit association that has been established in 1997 and is actively committed to supporting women's and family health, social justice and improving the social and health status of the elderly, sick and bed ridden persons.
About projects
Center 'Fenix' is, above all, focused on the 'Majka i dijete' (Mother and Child) project, through which we provide unreserved support to young mothers, nursing mothers, fathers and families in general. But at the same time we help one of the most vulnerable social categories of the population - the elderly, sick and bed ridden persons through the eponymous project 'Social package for the elderly, sick and bed ridden', which organizes a soup kitchen for about 150 users. It is the only institution of its kind in Sanski Most, where about 150 free hot meals are prepared and distributed for our fellow citizens, six days a week. There is also home delivery of food for seriously ill and immobile people, and our Center also provides laundry services to customers with the aim of providing assistance to the elderly who, due to age, permanently impaired health or lack of a washing machine, cannot wash it themselves. For such people, we provide laundry and drying services twice a month ", points out Adisa Hotić, a representative of the Center "Fenix".
However, in this Center, vulnerable people have the opportunity to receive one-time financial assistance, a visit from a social worker, assistance in the procurement of medicines and medical supplies and so forth.
In addition to the mentioned projects, the Center also provides a unique offer for the youngest in the form of a playroom. “Playroom programs offer various forms of activities designed to help children between the ages of two and seven develop social, cognitive and speech skills. A special aspect of the playroom is the inclusion of children from socially vulnerable families ", adds Hotić.
Eco products
Another project that the Center's employees work hard on is the production of healthy products, and Sanski Most is, thanks to its natural resources, the right place to produce them. "Fifteen years ago, we started with two smaller greenhouses, and today we grow our fruits and vegetables in our four large greenhouses. Paprika, tomato, eggplant and other vegetables are used every day in the preparation of meals for the users of our soup kitchen and the unused rest of the grown vegetables is sold ", claims Hotić.
Since the Center also owns 15 dunams of arable land, various fruit trees often grow there, so apples, pears, plums, cherries and other fruits grow on about 600 trees, and they are most proud of the Aronia-chokeberry plantation where 1,200 fruit trees are planted.
"Aronia-chokeberry is processed into naturally squeezed juices and pure and mixed jams with a low sugar content. Aronia is grown 100% naturally, without any chemical treatments. This is one of the projects, which objective is the financial stability of 'Fenix's' social projects, so by buying these products you are helping the work of 'Fenix's' soup kitchen", they tell us from the" Fenix "Center.
Production in this Center if a sufficient number of potential customers requires it, opens the possibility of engagement and hiring socially vulnerable people who, by helping employees, provide themselves with the possibility of financial earnings. Therefore, their goal is not pure profit or "showing their teeth to inviolable competition", but an deeply rooted desire to provide assistance.
And here we return to the beginning of the story. Mrs. Adisa tells us about the growing number of departures of young and capable people from this town. More and more, she claims, citizens of Sanski Most are becoming emigrants, but also she sees in emigrants a partial salvation for the work of the Center.
"People in diaspora have always known how to recognize a domestic product. Most of our people in the diaspora are empathetic towards those who have stayed in their homeland and are working hard earning for a piece of bread on the table. Our expatriates want and recognize quality, we at ‘Fenix’ too, so our eco products are certainly what many of them need or are looking for. Buying our products and marketing them on the foreign market is definitely our long-term goal and long-term financing plan for the Center, and through 'our people' abroad, it would be much more easier. Therefore, we invite our expatriates to support us, buy natural products when visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina, contact us with the aim of achieving potential cooperation or simply visit us on the spot, advise us and see for themselves what exactly we are doing, "concludes Hotić.
The export of naturally squeezed chokeberry juices and jams is not unknown to this valuable team. Thanks to the support of Bosnians and Herzegovinians, chokeberry from Sanski Most was consumed in various parts of Switzerland, and this is exactly what "Fenix" strives for in the future. Therefore, if you are interested, contact them by e-mail hnofenix [at] bih.net.ba or by phone + 38737 / 683-301. By supporting the Center, you support employment, care and domestic production!