The kindergartens in Domaljevac and Maglaj, both severely damaged in the May 2014 floods, reopened their doors after extensive rehabilitation works to repair the flood damages were completed in both locations in January 2015. The rehabilitation works received substantive financial support from the EU Floods Recovery Programme, in the total amount of approximately 305,000 EUR (600,000 KM).
In Maglaj, the kindergarten facility required complete rehabilitation and the EU-financed works included electricity refitting, installation of a new heating system, sanitary systems, flooring, joinery replacement as well as refurbishing of the walls, façade and roof. The EU Floods Recovery Programme provided 192,500 EUR (358,000 KM) for the works and additional 22,500 EUR (44,000 KM) for new furniture and didactic materials. The project received co-funding from SOS Kinderdorf for interior works in classrooms and offices. The kindergarten is attended by nearly 70 children, who were mostly staying with their families while the works were ongoing.
“We were really fortunate that our donors also paid attention to the quality of works. When we reopened the doors in January, we were as excited as if we were coming to work for the first time. We have finally left shovels, brooms and cloths aside, and gotten back to our real jobs”, said Džeraldina Delić, the Director of the Maglaj kindergarten.
The Domaljevac kindergarten shares a similar story. The kindergarten was under water for two weeks which led to complete destruction of all the furniture and premises. Since 95% of the territory of the Municipality Domaljevac was flooded, no temporary child care services in alternate premises were provided. Therefore the completion of the rehabilitation works comes as a great relief for the parents in Domaljevac.
“When our municipality was hit by the floods, my additional concern was that the kindergarten my children were attending suffered damage. I was aware that this situation would last, and that it would be difficult for me to organise my working attendance and childcare. To my great joy, the kindergarten has now restarted its work and these concerns have disappeared,” said one of the parents, Magdalena Klarić.
As soon as the floodwaters withdrew, the Domaljevac municipality and the Kindergarten management drafted a rehabilitation plan. The funds were provided through the EU Floods Recovery Programme in the amount of 74,000 EUR (137,000 KM) for the complete rehabilitation of the facility (electricity refitting, installation of a new heating system, sanitary systems, flooring, joinery replacement as well as refurbishing of the walls, façade and roof), while additional 16,500 EUR (32,300 KM) were invested by the EU in new furniture and teaching materials.
“All the works have been successfully completed thanks to the generosity and big hearts of dear people who have, since the very beginning while the water was still inside the kindergarten, showed us that they are ready to help us and give us comfort and hope,“ said Nada Hadžihaskić, the Director of Domaljevac kindergarten.
The kindergarten in Domaljevac is currently attended by around 20 children, but more is expected in the future since there is bigger demand for the child care services in this municipality.
For more information visit the EU Floods Recovery Programme feature page and EU Floods Recovery Programme Facebook page
