2002 - American Refugee Committee

AMERICAN REFUGEE COMMITTEE INTERNATIONAL
For nearly ten years, the American Refugee
Committee has been assisting refugees and
displaced people in the Balkans.
Programs began in Croatia in 1993 and later expanded to assist those affected
by the wars in Bosnia and Kosovo.
Today, most refugees and displaced people
in the Balkans live in temporary housing or
collective centers.
Most of them are
elderly, and many
are still struggling to
overcome the trauma
they experienced.
ARC provides them
with legal help,
ensuring that they receive the pension and
benefits to which they are entitled. The next
step is to assist them in the process of
returning home.
Returning home was once impossible for the
many people in Bosnia and Kosovo whose
homes were destroyed during the war. Since
the crisis began, ARC has played a role in the
reconstruction of more than 1,350 homes or
apartment units, including more than 250 in
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2002. ARC has also helped rebuild schools,
hospitals, and businesses.
When families are ready to return to their
pre-war homes, ARC provides assistance
through its internationally respected Regional
Linkages program. By providing one-day bus
trips, trained escorts, and community activities,
this program helps different ethnic groups in
a village reintegrate positively and peacefully.
Children—some of the most vulnerable
victims of ethnic conflict and war—are often
the first to recover. In Bosnia and throughout
the region, ARC has managed a variety of
programs to encourage children of different
ethnic groups to learn and play together.
This kind of reintegration is critical to the
Balkans, one of the most ethnically diverse
regions in the world.
ARC also encourages people of various ethnic
groups to work together. The income generation
program extends small loans to businesses that
employ members of different ethnic groups.
As these businesses grow and prosper, they
not only rebuild the economy of the region,
but also help restore the fabric of society.
Over the past 6 years, more then 2,000 loans
have been granted to these small enterprises,
most of which are still in business today.
2002 MILESTONES
2002 ANNUAL REPORT
Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Macedonia
• In Bosnia, ARC provided legal assistance to
3,200 refugees and displaced people per month.
• In Kosovo, ARC supported and rehabilitated five
community centers, benefiting 1,220 Albanian
and 4,728 Serbian residents.
• ARC created or expanded 50 interethnic small
businesses in 23 communities.
• ARC’s Croatia activities were transitioned to
Zvonmir, an organization created to carry out
ARC’s mission under local leadership.
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