Humanitarian actions ahead of the Christmas and New Year holidays: Encounters and smiles that will not be forgotten

Imagine the smiles and joy of children running to see what they received in their New Year’s and Christmas gift packages, as well as the delight of their parents who feel gratitude for the attention and effort shown. This is the main goal of holiday actions for children and all people in Kosovo, as interlocutors from three humanitarian organizations told Kosovo Online – “All for Kosmet”, “Serbs for Serbs”, and “A Smile as a Gift”.

By: Katarina Saicic

They all agree on one thing – those encounters, cheerfulness, and love are unforgettable, and they are what draw them back and give them the strength to continue helping children and people across Kosovo. They remind that, together with their colleagues in the organizations, they would not be able to do this without thousands of people of good will who donate money, toys, and sweets every year, as well as what is most valuable – attention and love.

Aleksandra Kekic from the humanitarian organization “All for Kosmet” told Kosovo Online that this year they are organizing their Christmas action for the 11th time, the largest of its kind in these areas when it comes to Kosovo.

“Once again, everyone interested can get involved by donating a gift package or whatever they can – snacks, sweets, some toys they may have, or a symbolic donation if they are able. When we collect everything together, we make packages that we then send to children in Kosovo and Metohija. Every year the action grows more and more. Last year, 21,300 packages were made this way. Every year we want to reach that number and surpass it. So far we have managed to do so, and we hope that with the help of good people we will succeed again this time,” Kekic said.

Asked how children react when they receive the packages and meet them, Kekic emphasizes that they are immensely happy.

“This action is primarily intended for children, and we all know how cheerful they are, how much they rejoice in that package and gift, and children in Kosovo and Metohija especially so. Particularly children who live in some remote areas and enclaves where not many people come. We have some better-known places where children receive more packages, but we also reach the most distant ones, and that truly brings great joy. When you see a child who does not often have the opportunity to receive a package and be shown such attention, it is truly a great joy. It may even be a bit of a shock, they do not know how to react, but in any case they are very grateful. And that is what actually gives us great motivation to continue working in this way,” our interlocutor described.

As she points out, donors are found through a wide network of acquaintances and contacts.

“Given that we have existed since 2008 and that everything started with pilgrimage trips, we have built a very large network of people, not only in Serbia. We have a registered branch in Germany, in the Republic of Srpska, in Switzerland, and we also operate in Montenegro, North Macedonia, and all other countries we can reach where there are people of good will. That network is truly large, and people already know about this action, they contact us themselves and ask how they can participate. As for the current action, we have a large network of collection points where assistance can be brought, and we will also have various organized stands. Churches from different dioceses are participating. We have covered different target groups. It is important to say that people who may not be able to physically bring sweets, toys, and the like can make a payment to our giro account. Details can be found on the website svizakosmet.org and on our social media, and people can also send a text message from Serbia to 4030 or call 17170 for the Republic of Srpska. Everything that comes in as a donation during this period goes toward these packages, with which we hope to make children happy for the Serbian New Year and St. Sava’s Day,” Kekic concluded.

The humanitarian foundation “A Smile as a Gift” is also organizing its traditional, 20th New Year action to collect packages for children from Kosovo this year, its representative Jelena Cirovic announced to Kosovo Online.

“Our focus is to make happy all the places that we have already put on the map in our distribution plan. What our volunteers need to do is sort all the donations we receive in the form of goods and confectionery products and organize them nicely so that the packages can be packed and delivered to the right addresses,” Cirovic said.

Based on their experience from the field, the reactions of people are so sincere and beautiful that they give them the strength to persevere in the project.

“The reactions of people, and generally of children in Kosovo and Metohija, are what have given us strength for years. That moment and encounter when we come to Kosovo and Metohija and hand them the package is unforgettable. In addition to their smiles and joy when they run into our arms and we run into theirs, there is also that moment at the end, their impatience to open the package to see what they received as a gift from us this year. There are also elderly people who are very happy about our arrival and with whom we stay in touch throughout the year. Besides distributing packages, we always have time to talk with them, to play, to sing, and in that way we give them support in these difficult times, because they face great challenges. Every encounter is full of warmth, words of gratitude, and sincerity,” our interlocutor described.

She explains that they find donors through contacts with individuals and companies, with the help of schools and other humanitarian foundations that recognize their work and want to join their actions.

“Of course, there are always people who follow us on social media, see our work, and follow our actions. Anyone who wants to join can contribute by donating a ready-made package or some type of goods that make up a package, such as savory snacks, sweets, school supplies, toys, books. People can also help us with financial support. It is nice to spread the word about our foundation and our activities, and what is most important and what I have been emphasizing for 10 years are volunteers – people who are essential to help us pack the packages and deliver them to addresses. It is important to spread the holiday and humanitarian spirit, and all this information can be found on our Instagram profile,” Cirovic concluded.

The organization “Serbs for Serbs” helps people in need in Kosovo, as well as across the Balkans. A representative of that humanitarian organization, Marija Morovic, told Kosovo Online that every year, from the beginning of the Christmas fast until the Serbian New Year, their Christmas action takes place.

“This is our largest action of the year, and we do not help only families in Kosovo and Metohija, but also families across the Balkans wherever the Serbian people live. The goal is to collect donations for several hundred families through highlighting two or three families. Specifically, at this moment, through our social media and other communication channels, we are telling the story of the Marković family from the village of Cer near Presevo, who live in extremely difficult conditions. Through their story, we want to draw the attention of our donors and all people to the fact that many children welcome the holidays in completely different conditions from those we are used to. They do not think about how they will decorate the Christmas tree, but whether they will have bread on the table for Christmas or Christmas Eve. Not flatbread, not cakes, but bread. That is what we strive to highlight during this Christmas action, and we are very glad that every year a large number of people respond, which is why we can call this action the largest. I sincerely hope that it will be the same this year and that in this way we will enter the homes of all the little ones who deserve a nicer holiday atmosphere,” Morovic said.

As she described, people are always happy when they arrive to deliver assistance, because they feel they are not alone.

“They always thank us for coming. That is the first thing they say, because through our arrival and our visits, they feel that they are not forgotten, that someone is thinking of them, that they have brothers across Serbia who will help them in times of trouble. People who live in Kosovo and Metohija are truly the heroes of our time. I must emphasize again that we also help families across the Balkans, in Krajina, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Srpska, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and all of Serbia,” Morovic said.

They mostly reach donors through social media, but they also have donation boxes in many locations and receive designated donations, as is the case with the Christmas humanitarian action.
“Our main communication channel is social media, and everywhere we are listed as Serbs for Serbs. Anyone who wants can find us. That is truly significant support. At this moment, more than half a million people follow us on social media, and thanks to all of them we manage to carry out more than 200 actions per year. On our website, they can find all detailed information,” Morovic emphasized.