What better reward could anyone want than to see the smiling face on a thankful child? This was the overwhelming emotion we felt throughout the implementation of our latest Healing Hearts Balkans book distribution project.

When discussing how we could best serve this needy area of Kosovo and Serbia where we have lived since 1999, it became obvious that helping to build the character of future generations would have the greatest impact on a country that has suffered through political turmoil and war for over 20 years.

Upon arriving in the former Yugoslavia in the summer of 1995, we immediately began working in the numerous centers for refugees that were located throughout Slovenia. Families had been ripped away from everything they knew, and were now being housed in temporary, often bleak conditions in abandoned warehouses, wooden barracks, student dormitories, and run-down hotels.

In solidarity with the political commitment by European governments to improve the socio-economic status and social inclusion of Roma, Healing Hearts Balkans continues to do its part through the teaching and training of Roma children. Our original character-building material is used regularly in kindergartens for Roma children, and our music therapy and animation activities teach and inspire Roma children in the villages of Vojvodina (northern Serbia).

Since our arrival in the former Yugoslavia in 1995, besides helping in the post-war recovery, one of the areas that we identified as being very needy and one that we wanted to focus our attention on was that of helping the handicapped and those with special needs.

As is common in all areas with a large Roma population, in Serbia and Kosovo there is a glaring lack of training amongst Roma children in basic courtesy, manners, and what could be summarized as “character”. Poor or no school attendance has long been recognized as a huge problem amongst Roma children, but what about “character-building”.