Common life is possible

22 March 2003

In spring 1999 when more than 400 Kosovo inhabitants were forced to abandon their homes and settle in collective center in Raca , many among them believed it was just temporarily.
Today, after almost four years, the same families of Albanians, Muslims, Serbs, Gypsies and Macedonians are still there. Their number enlarged because of new-borne members. All of them agree - the rule of common life is clear - the most important is to be good and honest men.

So, Raca with its 4000 inhabitants became the symbol of idea that common life is possible among people of different nationalities and religions.

Inhabitants of refugee center "Karadjordje" still talk about their living conditions when they started their new life in Raca. In the old building, empty and abandoned for years, there were no primary living conditions - water, current, and drainage. Thanks to humanitarian organizations Danish People Aid (DPA) and SDC from Switzerland each family has its own rooms, several common bathrooms, steam heat and separate kitchens where hot meals are being cooked for all inhabitants. Social programs and skill trainings have been organized in the Centre.
Through these special programs each family got a small piece of land for gardening, all necessary tools and seeds, so they are able not to depend on the � insufficient - humanitarian aid.

Zvonko Zivanovic, the manager of Raca's collective centre emphasizes the importance of these social programs saying that they managed to return the will for living to all refugees and, at the same time, to remove major psychological problems.

"From the beginning of 1999 I was among these people and throughout the years I have seen how smile returned to their faces. That's a really special and true reward for all our efforts,� said Zivanovic.

Center's inhabitants are satisfied with the situation, they say. But, beside good intentions and willingness to help, there are less and less donations and humanitarian aid. Inhabitants need food, medicines, vitamins, clothes and shoes... And, of course, there home.