Stray dogs are a common sight in Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The large number of dogs without homes makes it particularly difficult for the local government to provide shelter for all, with estimates putting the stray dog population close to 11,000.
American high school students living in Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of the YES Abroad high school exchange year joined forces with young Bosnians from the YES alumni network to raise money for a local dog shelter in desperate need of funding to keep the shelter open for the dogs.
The campaign funds went directly to purchasing 130 pounds of adequate dog food, dog toys, and other supplies to help the volunteers continue running the shelter in a humane manner.
Cleaning Up the Koevo Soccer Stadium
American students on the YES Abroad program and Bosnian YES alumni cooperated with FK Sarajevo, a Bosnian premier league soccer team, to clean up a soccer stadium. FK Sarajevo helped enlist support for the cleanup among their fan base in Bosnia.
Over 50 community members worked hard to clean up the soccer stadium and its surrounding environment. Students, alumni, Bosnian host families, FK Sarajevo soccer players, and some of their fans all came together to beautify the stadium and prepare it for popular soccer matches once again.
Promoting Pedestrian Safety
The regional cycling race that traces the route from Belgrade, Serbia to Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina started in Belgrade in mid-April. As 200 professional cyclists arrived in Banja Luka for the final leg of the race, over 120 volunteers, including YES Abroad students on a high school exchange in Banja Luka, came out to ensure the safety of pedestrians, since the race route included the most populated pedestrian areas.
