HOLIDAY FOR A GOOD CAUSE
Poles Apart Travel is proud to support a grassroots social reconstruction organization called Balkan Sunflowers. We donate $10 from every booking to their efforts.
Balkan Sunflowers (BSF) began working in Albania and Macedonia in May 1999 and in Kosovo in July 1999, in response to the human tragedies of the Kosovo conflict and the resulting refugee crisis. Since 1999, more than 450 international and local volunteers have worked with Balkan Sunflowers in a wide variety of programs.
Some of these programs are listed bellow:
- Children's activities in refugee camps and nine transit centers (Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia)
- Landmine and weapons awareness programs in rural Albanian schools
- Four multi-ethnic summer camps attended by more than 1,100 children in Kosovo
- Construction of Gjilan city park (Kosovo)
- Restoration of three city parks in Peja (Kosovo)
- Just Clean It: Gjakova's 7-week city cleanup (Kosovo)
- Shutka Music Project: professional CD release of music from Roma refugee camp (Macedonia)
- Civic Education program training and mentoring Roma community advocates (Kosovo)
- Kindergarten, catch-up classes for disadvantaged children (Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia)
- Startup & logistical/financial support for 5 Scout troops including training, multiethnic campouts
- Production by teens of In the Hands of the Youth, a 30 minute video documentary on gun violence, used by UN Small Arms Project (Kosovo)
- Production by teens of Welcome to Plemetina, a 15-minute documentary that premiered at UNHCR Human Rights Film Festival, Pristina
- Serb language, Roma language and culture, English, computer skills, and arts programs for hundreds of children and youth in vulnerable communities (Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia)
