By Ljiljana Vasic | Director
It has been four years since we last reported on Djurdjina, one of the children who lost everything in the floods that caused landslides, took away homes and even lives in Serbia eight years ago.
Just two weeks after her 11th birthday, Djurdjina’s father saved her literally seconds before their house collapsed and was swept away together with everything the family had had. It took years for this girl to overcome trauma and nightmares that would wake her up in the middle of the night thinking that the water was drowning them all over again...
And if this was not terrible enough, her father got injured at work and became an invalid. The only income for the whole family was coming from temporary jobs her mother could find.
At the time, we provided this girl with the scholarship from the donations you made to help children victims of the floods. Other donors provided a small prefabricated house for her and her family on the other side of a small town of Krupanj in the Western Serbia. All this helped both Djurdjina and her family to start rebuilding their lives.
Four years ago, Djurdjina was a proud teenager who graduated from the elementary school with all honours, who has received half a dozen Diplomas for excellence and awards at the knowledge competitions in different subjects and, above all, the Vuk Karadzic Award - a highest State Award for the extraordinary achievements in all educational areas.
Today, she is a thoroughly delighted first-year student of the prestigious Faculty of Transport and Traffic Engineering in Belgrade! She kept her perfect educational grades throughout High School, graduated with honours and passed the entrance exams. She enrolled into the course she had always wanted – Road Traffic Engineer.
“I’m happy beyond words”, she told us right after getting her student card. Her excellent grades enabled her also to secure a place in the Student’s camp and dormitory so that she can regularly attend all lectures.
“Four years ago, I thought that I couldn’t continue my education beyond Elementary school because we couldn’t afford even the costs for monthly bus ticket to the school in the town from our village, let alone textbooks and all the other things needed. You promised to help me financially if I would keep my good grades. So many nights, I would wake up abruptly from nightmares that the rain would drown us and take our new home away, or that you would stop helping me go to school… I love studying, I always wanted to be a Traffic Engineer, design roads that could connect people, and now, when my dream has come true and I am here studying to become Traffic Engineer, I cannot thank you enough. Please, let all these people who have been giving their money for my studies, that I promise to be the best student I can”, all on one breath Djurdjina says.
And we sincerely thank all of you who have donated for supporting children victims of those worst floods in more than 100 years.
Please, keep helping us help these children. By spreading a word about our work, by donating whatever amount, by organising any fundraiser…
With sincere gratitude,
Yours,
Pomoc deci team
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