As part of the project “Provided access to health services and protection of human rights for asylum
seekers, refugees, and migrants in BiH”, 16 cultural mediators are working as translators at the
temporary reception centers (TRCs) Ušivak, Blažuj, Borići, and Miral. The Jesuit Refugee Service in
Bosnia and Herzegovina employs native speakers of Arabic, Urdu, Pashto, Farsi, Hindi, Persian,
English, and Bosnian language. The total number of transports in the Una-Sana Canton (USC) in June
was 298 and in the Sarajevo Canton 58.

Here is a story of one of our beneficiaries about her experience with JRS medical escort:

“My name is Bita and I’m a nurse from Iran. The political situation in my country forced me to leave my
home with my two sons and wife. I left Iran 4 years ago and I have been in Bosnia and Herzegovina for
about 2 years. I tried to cross the Bosnian border with Croatia several times and in one of the
attempts, I injured my right leg. The pain was not bad at first but quickly spread to other parts of the
body. After a while, I had a terrible backache and I couldn’t walk properly.

During a detailed medical examination, the JRS team helped me walk, understand my problem, and
told me the details of my treatment. Due to the overall situation, I became really depressed; the
doctors recommended physical therapy. I received therapy every morning and was accompanied by
the JRS team.

In addition to translating, the JRS team did everything they could to make me feel comfortable in the
hospital and also helped me feel better mentally. They gave me hope every day by believing that I
would be able to move again without a wheelchair.

It has been five months now that I can walk normally, and I am grateful to all the people who helped
me – the doctor, the DRC technician, and especially the JRS team. “