Over a thousand Bosnian citizens are people living with Down Syndrome. A very few of them have employment but a project symbolically called ‘Power’ is aimed to open possibilities for people with disabilities and provide them with an opportunity to show how useful they can be.

Eleven participants of the project are doing their internships in Sarajevo and Mostar, working for different companies, institutions and organisations.

Petar Kresimir is one of them. He starts his day at 8 o’clock as a sous chef in the kindergarten he used to go to as a child. This is his first working experience.

“It feels great to be here, great atmosphere. I feel nice, this means success in my life,” said Petar.

He holds elementary and high school diplomas, and it was his dream to become a chef. Now he works hard for four hours a day.

Petar says Down Syndrome is not an obstacle to perform daily work. The one who wants to work, he will always find a job, he said.

“It’s not all about the money. There is something about love, family, and unity,” Petar said.

Ten more persons with disabilities were employed along with Petar. They do their one-year internships in various companies and institutions.

Petar’s employers hope he will stay with them once the internship is over.

“They first have to be assured they’re really capable of working because there’s a general message in the society they can’t and they don’t know,” said Danijela Kegelj, the manager of Mostar Kindergarten company.

“They need to be showed they are treated like all other employees, that’s how we’re happy with Petar, he’s one new spark of joy in the company,” she added.

The cooperation between employers and persons with disabilities has been established within the ‘Power’ project, which is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Caritas of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The project serves as a short-term opportunity for persons with disabilities to develop professional skills and gain new working experience.