Eldin Elezovic, left, and Muamer Mrkanovic, right, participate in the Office of Refugee Resettlement National Consultation for Mutual Assistance Organizations held on October 9, 2005 in Washington, D.C.
IRC technical assistance providers Danielle Pack and Danya Pastuszek recently met with Muamer Mrkanovic and Eldin Elezovic of the Bosnian American Association of New York City. The meeting took place in December 2005 at the New York Foundation Center Library in New York City. Eldin and Muamer spoke about the organization’s history, current programs and future goals with Danielle of IRC.
Organizational History
The majority of Bosnian refugees came to the United States between 1995-2000. Having arrived directly from Bosnia, this refugee community was in great need of information about its new home in the United States. It was challenging for Bosnians to find culturally appropriate materials about the issues facing newcomers, and it seemed that few Americans spoke their language. In 1997, as a response to the growing service needs of Bosnian refugees, a small group of volunteers, including Muamer and Eldin, united with the common goal of connecting Bosnian refugees to the social and community service programs available in New York. This group of volunteers formed the Bosnian American Association of New York City (BAA) in 1999.
BAA existed solely on membership dues from its 300 Bosnian members during its first three years. To house the organization, a basement was initially rented and later rebuilt in Astoria, Queens — an ideal location for the large Bosnian population that resided in the neighborhood.
Expansion and Client Outreach
In 2003, BAA received Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) funding to supplement membership dues. The organization currently has close to 1,000 members, although the level of activity of each member varies widely. Current program efforts are focused within five direct service areas: English language instruction, computer classes, elderly assistance, translation services, and classes for naturalization and citizenship.
When the organization was first established, program services were advertised solely via word-of-mouth between BAA members and others in the community. Outreach was eventually expanded through broadcast advertisements on local Bosnian radio and television programs. Eldin notes that this medium was very effective for client outreach. “A majority of Bosnian refugees tune in to a weekly Bosnian-language radio news and feature program,” says Eldin. “We knew that advertising through this radio program would be an effective way to reach potential clients.”
Organizational Successes and Challenges
Perhaps BAA’s greatest success lies in its work with the Bosnian elderly population. With limited English language skills, it is difficult for the elderly to travel to doctors’ appointments by themselves as well as understand medical jargon. The services that BAA provides the Bosnian senior citizen population are essential for their well-being.
BAA’s current challenges revolve around expanded programming and financial support. New and diversified sources of funding are needed to continue its programs. BAA is also in the midst of devising new approaches to involve young people from the community. Muamer expressed enthusiasm when discussing ideas for future programs. “We hope to add additional sporting events to help organize the young people in our community, as well as movie nights that focus on post-conflict and development issues in Bosnia,” he says.
Both Muamer and Eldin also speak about the need to increase community support for BAA’s programs and services. This remains an ongoing challenge for the organization, and devising creative ways to further involve community members is a constant and challenging process.
Utilizing Technical Assistance
United States nonprofit laws are very different from the laws governing charities in Bosnia. Capacity-building technical assistance has helped BAA to become more familiar with U.S. and New York State 501(c)(3) laws.
One IRC TA provider, Chris Caltabiano, conducted a site visit to the BAA Astoria office. Chris met with the organization’s bookkeeper, president and vice-president. This was an excellent opportunity for BAA staff to learn about nonprofit financial reporting laws and as well as federal financial reporting requirements.
The Future of BAA
The Bosnian refugee community in New York City is continually evolving. Many community members are gaining college degrees and professional success, and this could open doors for the larger Bosnian community. “In the future, young Bosnian intellectuals could be utilized as teachers and trainers for our programs,“ proposes Eldin.
As more Bosnians develop fluent English language skills, BAA realizes the need to adjust and expand its existing program scope. Muamer and Eldin both agree that future programming could include a continuation of elderly assistance programs as well as micro enterprise instruction and advanced English and citizenship classes. BAA is also exploring how to extend services to non-Bosnian refugee populations. By reaching out to diverse refugee populations BAA would expand its reach, and hopefully, its sources of funding.
Whatever the future holds for the Bosnian American Association, there is no doubt about the passion its staff members have for the work they do. While reflecting on a specific client who benefited from BAA’s job training services, Eldin smiles. “We helped one guy develop a resume for a particular job. He did not seem comfortable expanding on his employment qualifications. In Bosnia , documenting how qualified you are could be seen as bragging. Together we drafted an appropriate resume and eventually he was offered the job.” Muamer adds, “Our work is about much more than the services we provide to clients — we go further by aiming for total integration for refugees. As an organization, and as Bosnians ourselves, this is what is most important.”
