Growing up in Montenegro, it was simply natural for my family to help one another in difficult times, whenever we could. As a young girl, I would go with my grandmother when she visited elderly people in our area. She often brought food and other essentials, and as I grew older, I continued these visits on my own. Since 1986 I have lived in Sweden, but every year I have returned to Montenegro with children's clothes and toys for the country's only children's home.
In 2010, I was offered the opportunity to start a charity with the purpose of supporting the children's home in a more structured way. We founded the organization NVO Riznica Mladosti with the help of a generous donation and a network of people who, in different ways, contributed their time and expertise to lay a strong foundation for this work.
Today, we have been running the organization for nearly 10 years and have seen real results from our work. It warms my heart that the commitment that began with my grandmother has now become part of my life — and my daughter's.
Today, the organization has six employees on site at the children's home, and moving the organization forward depends on support from the world around us. We are grateful for every donation and gift — together, they make it possible for us to continue our work improving the life prospects of vulnerable children.
About the Children's Home and Montenegro
Montenegro is a small country in the Balkans with beautiful nature but a turbulent history.
After the Second World War, the state opened the children's home for children orphaned during the war. Since then, the social authorities have placed all children whose parents cannot offer them a safe home at the children's home.
Yugoslavia broke apart violently in the 1990s, leading to significant social unrest. As a result, the number of children needing a place to grow up again increased.
The children's home in Mladost, Bijela, is the only children's home in Montenegro. It is funded and run by the state. However, the country is not wealthy, and there is always much more that can be done to help children who cannot grow up under the protection of their own parents.
The children range from 0 to 18 years old. In recent years there have been fewer infants, as the youngest children are now more often placed in foster care or adopted instead. The number of children at the home varies over time, but it is usually home to around 90 children.
The children's home is state-funded. We, NVO Riznica Mladosti, are an organization that works as a partner and provides support where we see it is needed most.
Want to know more about what it's like to grow up in a children's home? Helena shares her impressions from time spent with a group of young children living at the home.
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