There are weekends that are remembered not only for rest, but for the people and deeds that go beyond expectations. Such was last weekend at the Small Family Home in Ledići, where a family at risk of separation stayed – not because of a lack of love, but because of difficult economic circumstances.

The family is one in which neither parent has formal employment. The mother takes daily care of two boys with certain developmental challenges, which prevents her from taking on a permanent job. Still, she uses every opportunity to earn privately, most often by cleaning apartments, in order to provide the basic conditions for life. The father, on the other hand, is not registered at any address, because the landlady of the apartment they rent does not allow him to register his residence there. Because of this, he cannot obtain formal employment either, and instead occasionally takes daily labor jobs whenever someone calls him.

Support of Foundation Second

Foundation Second has been following and supporting this family for more than a year, with the help of donors who have made it possible to regularly cover their rent in the amount of 350 KM (175 EUR), as well as provide food and hygiene packages. All activities are carried out in coordination with the Family and Children Support Service of the Cantonal Public Institution Home for Children without Parental Care Sarajevo, in whose program the family is included.

The invitation to Ledići was intended as a chance to rest – an opportunity for them to spend time together as a family, far from their everyday worries. However, what happened during that weekend exceeded every intention.

While the boys played with the cats and rode their bicycle, the parents, instead of resting, decided to give a part of themselves to the space that has become a place of safety, joy, and belonging for many children.

In just two days, they cleaned the entire house – including the basement – and prepared the land for sowing, which the Small Family Home received for use from the ProBitra Foundation. The land had been neglected, overgrown with weeds, and left uncultivated for years, which made the task especially demanding. Even so, they did not give up.

In addition, they repaired the damaged fence around the plot, restoring the space’s basic functionality and safety. Their effort was noticed not only by members of the Foundation, but also by the residents of Ledići, who spoke with sincere respect about their dedication and hard work.

This weekend showed just how much dignity, strength, and willingness to contribute a family can have, even while facing challenges that many people do not see.

"This family came to Ledići to rest, but they reminded us of what matters most – that a person's worth is never defined by the circumstances they live in. Their desire to give, even when they themselves have so little, shows a strength we too often forget to recognize. We are grateful to them not only for everything they did for our space, but also for the lesson they left to all of us," said Belma Mujezinović, Director of Foundation Second, adding that sometimes those we most wish to help are the very ones who enrich us the most.

In the end, this weekend once again brings us back to the essence of what the Small Family Home in Ledići represents.

At a time when many families are on the brink of separation because of poverty and the lack of systemic support, places like this become much more than a place to stay. They are a space for rest, but also a space of dignity – a place where families can pause for a moment, regain strength, and reconnect, without the pressure of everyday life.

The Small Family Home in Ledići is being developed precisely with that idea in mind – as support for deinstitutional care, with the goal of preventing the separation of children from their parents whenever possible. Through time spent in nature, shared activities, and a sense of belonging, families are given the opportunity to restore the strength they need to continue forward together.

At the same time, this space erases the boundaries between “those who help” and “those who need help.” In Ledići, everyone has the opportunity to contribute – and that is exactly where its greatest value lies.

Because true support is not only in what we provide, but in what we build together.