The Kinderarche Workshop / Kinderarche Werkstatt
A new joint project of RC Wien Stadtpark and RC Sarajevo extends support to Kinderarche Sarajevo by organizing workshops for 15 children who need individualized assistance and mentoring during the 2024/2025 school year.
Duration: September 2024 – end of June 2025
Qualification: yes
Complete presentation: video / document on club pages
Active engagement: yes
Area of focus: Basic education and literacy
The Kinderarche workshop is a continuation and concrete expansion of the cooperation between RC Wien Stadtpark, RC Sarajevo and Kinderarche Sarajevo. In 2023/24 a bus for transporting the children was financed through the dedicated efforts of club friends and fundraising, and it was officially handed over at the district conference on 21 June 2024, paving the way for the next phase.
Since 1998 Kinderarche Sarajevo—located in a spacious house with a garden on the outskirts of the city—has been a refuge for children and families in need. Initially focused on refugee families from Kosovo, it has grown into a network of projects that provides long-term support to families affected by war and poverty. The team of an educator/sociologist, IT course leader, sewing instructor, housekeeper and driver/caretaker cares for the beneficiaries with dedication.
A key component is the FUD (Family Support Service) program, which currently serves 124 users or 399 family members. Support includes monthly food and hygiene packages, psychosocial and educational assistance, physiotherapy, medical aids, firewood, household appliances, financial aid and construction materials. Parent counselling and improving living conditions are central to success, with regular meetings that strengthen self-confidence and personal responsibility.
Within the FUD program a subgroup of 15 children aged 6–15 has been identified for intensive individualized support that is not covered by public funding in Bosnia. Without the contribution of RC Wien Stadtpark and RC Sarajevo this targeted support would have to stop. Children are transported from various neighbourhoods to the Kinderarche, where they attend workshops in a safe environment and, when needed, receive individual support on site or at home. Because most schools operate weekly shifts, limiting the group to 15 participants allows for a consistent schedule.
The workshops provide a broad spectrum of assistance: a change of environment, structured sessions led by trained therapists, acquisition of new skills and social-emotional development. The aim is to address a wide range of challenges in a low-threshold, stress-free setting and to mitigate behavioral issues rooted in trauma and poverty. The project also invites Rotarians from Wien Stadtpark and Sarajevo to get personally involved by co-leading workshops connected to their professions or hobbies—for example, culinary sessions featuring Austrian and Bosnian dishes, a workshop on Viennese history and landmarks, art or music workshops, and joint cultural outings in cooperation with the Austrian Cultural Forum Sarajevo or the Austrian Embassy.