KOSOVA

Between 1998 and 1999, nearly 1 million people were forced to flee Kosova. Although the end of the bombing prompted many refugees to return home, the presence of extensive land mines have since claimed the lives of many hundreds of people.

In 1999, in the wake of the NATO campaign, Islamic Relief established operations in Kosova. The objective was to assist in meeting the reconstruction and development needs of this vulnerable population. Since then, the organization has been active in a number of significant initiatives in Kosova, including Emergency Shelter, School Rehabilitation, Micro-enterprise Development, Children's Ply Activity Programs, Psychosocial Programs for Women and, notably, a major Mine Awareness project contracted by UNICEF. It was also noted at an early stage, that countless women had been widowed and thousands of children orphaned by the conflict, resulting in the implementation of the Widows Orphan Welfare Program.

One of the main goals for Islamic Relief in Kosova has been to assist the local population to achieve self-sufficiency.

Our Social and Economic Development Programs need to be sustained after the organization withdraws from the area. To this end, Islamic Relief has committed itself to the professional development of its local partner organizations and staff. Our local partner in Skenderai is a women's organization called Antegona, which is responsible for the implementation of the Widows and Orphans Welfare program. They have received training in organizational development, psychosocial support, micro-credit implementation, and project management.

Today, Kosova is not an independent country, rather it is a special region under control of the United Nations, and awaits a decision about its status. However, what matters most to the people of Kosova is that they are able to rise from their recent turbulent past and face a future where their freedom and human rights are protected. Islamic Relief remains committed to supporting the poor and vulnerable as long as there is a need to do so.