Inspired by the Serbian endowment founders Miša Anastasijević, Marija Trandafil, Ilija M. Kolarac, we decided to start the first financial endowment, believing that Serbia we wish for will be a reality.
As the leading foundation in local community development in Serbia, in 2012 we launched a campaign that gathered more than 200 individual donors, companies, foundations and other donors from Serbia and abroad. Trag’s financial endowment is unique as it’s the first of its kind in the broader region.
Trag raised 251,861 USD and this amount was double matched by Charles Stewart Foundation to create the initial fund of 750,000 USD. Since its establishment, the Endowment Fund has grown to 785,000 USD as a result of investment revenue and will continue to increase over the years in order to provide support to active citizens throughout Serbia who change their communities and society for the better.
Using funds generated from our Endowment Fund, we are able to support the needs of active citizens in Serbia in emergency situations! Through Active Communities: Solidarity Response to COVID-19 Program, we provided grant support to initiatives of the Na pola puta Association from Pančevo and the Somborske šnajderke* informal group from Sombor.
*Association Korak ispred svih, for informal group Somborske šnajderke
Thanks to you, we had the chance to go outside!
For many years, we have provided support to people with intellectual disabilities and their families through “Na pola puta” with the goal of providing them with the best quality of life and inclusion within the community. Due to the state of emergency, our beneficiaries were not allowed to leave their apartments and therefore were unable to see their parents, guardians, and friends for more than a month.
Due to the specific needs of those we work with, including their need for movement and lack of the understanding of the new situation, we encountered numerous challenges.
Thanks to you, we were able to provide them with continuous daily support by arranging safe and hygienic transportation for our assistants and hired additional people for grocery and supplies shopping. We will continue with online workshops to enrich their lives and to make it easier for them to overcome difficulties.
When solidarity empowers you to be brave!
We are an informal group called “Somborske šnajderke”. The five of us have sixteen children, and a seventeenth is on its way. In addition to our love for children, what we all have in common is that we are survivors of domestic partner violence. We came together and, with our five sewing machines, we started to produce 1,500 protective masks weekly. Thanks to the support of the Safe House, the Textile High School, the City of Sombor, and several companies, we donated masks to medical staff, police, social workers and vulnerable citizens.
Our self-confidence increased, our fellow citizens accepted this action very well and this positive experience made us feel empowered. Thanks to you, we are moving forward!
With a formalized association, we will be able to provide jobs to all members of our group since we will move on with sewing bed linens and continue supporting other survivors of domestic partner violence.