Thursday, November 13th, 2008
Belma & Sangeeta in Sarajevo from CFS on Vimeo. Youtube alternative here.
Belma and Sangeeta in the tunnel underneath Sarajevo that was used during the war, man showing photos and remnants from the war when the tunnel was used. Soliders used the tunnel to ship food aid through…
Thursday, November 13th, 2008
Back to school from CFS on Vimeo.
In this clip Belma takes us back to her old school, which was used by the Bosnian army as a base.
Then she goes to the town centre, and chats with an old couple about Bosnia.
Monday, October 20th, 2008
Playground from CFS on Vimeo. Youtube alternative here.
Belma takes Sangeeta back to her childhood another moving chapter!
Thursday, October 9th, 2008
Revisiting home from CFS on Vimeo. Youtube alternative.
In one of the more emotional films of the series, Belma and Sangeeta revisit Belma’s home, before her and her family fled the war. I’m just going to let the video do the talking on this one, there’s not much more I can add.
Thursday, October 9th, 2008
Our intrepid duo en route to Mostar, site of the famous Mostar bridge:
On the way to Mostar from CFS on Vimeo. Youtube alternative here.
Thursday, October 2nd, 2008
Belma and Sangeeta reflect, half way through the trip from CFS on Vimeo. Youtube alternative.
Belma and Sangeeta reflect on the trip so far from shot in the holiday inn, Tyhis, the scene of repeated devastation throughout the war in 2003. It’s clear that they are overwhelmed by the impact micro finance is having in Bosnia, and that progress in the country is far ahead of what they had expected to be the case.
Micro finance is a tool that can help to rebuild people’s lives “When you think about what you’d spend £2,000 on, and then compare it to how some Bosnians have spent it on completely rebuilding their lives, it makes you realise how lucky we are,” reflects Sangeeta.
Friday, September 26th, 2008
Fashion company helped by microfinance from CFS on Vimeo. Youtube alternative.
Belma and Sangeeta meet another of Zene za Zene’s (Women for Women – part of Women for Women International who lend solely to women) clients. “When we were told that we were going to meet a dress maker we were expecting to find a cottage industry – maybe a room in the house with the dress making equipment in it,” recalls Sangeeta. What Belma and Sangeeta find though is a not so little shop employing seven workers.
“The dress makers were one of Zene za Zene’s first clients, borrowing 5,000 Euros from the micro finance initiative,” adds Sangeeta. “What was clear from the visit is that this money is having a real impact – it’s not just a case now of making a living to get through each day – she’s able to help her staff to get on their feet too.”
Wednesday, September 24th, 2008
Dina - Diary owner helped by microfinance from CFS on Vimeo. Youtube alternative here
In this video, Belma and Sangeeta meet Dina, one of Zene za Zene’s clients who owns a dairy farm.
During the video, Belma and Sangeeta reflect again on the difference micro finance is having not only on the current generation, but also on future generations. Dina talks of how the micro finance funding has allowed her to grow her business to mean she is now in the position to be able to provide her daughter with the opportunity of attending a good school and university, meaning her daughter is now fluent in English.
Thursday, September 11th, 2008
On the plane there from CFS on Vimeo. Youtube alternative.
First, Belma and Sangeeta discuss the trip on the way over. Terrible sound quality at the start I’m afraid, but that’s because they’re on the plane. After that, they visit a Microfinance Institute in Derdenta, called Zene za Zene (Women for Women – part of Women for Women International who lend solely to women).
This is the first of 12 videos where Belma Gracankic, A Customer Adviser at The Co-operative Bank, returns to Bosnia, her country of birth that she fled during the 1993 war. Belma and her family escaped to Britain and settled in the North-West. Belma subsequently found employment with The Co-operative Bank, here she returns to Bosnia to examine the positive effect the Bank’s micro finance initiatives are having in helping to rebuild the country.
In the remaining videos Belma and Sangeeta travel round Belma’s home town, meet people who’ve been helped by Microfinance, whilst also visitng important sites from the conflict and sites important to Belma, putting the help that microfinance has given into context.
Monday, September 8th, 2008
Ethics in action: Bosnia - before the trip from CFS on Vimeo.
Before Belma went on the trip to Bosnia, Richard Wilcox, Head of Structured and Asset Finance at The Co-operative Financial Services spoke to her about her concerns and hopes for the trip.