With the horrifying statistics proving that Bosnia is one of the worst land-mined countries in the world, in 2000 MIRACLES launched an appeal to build its own specialist prosthesis centre where landmine victims can receive the ongoing treatment they so desperately need.

The MIRACLES Centre for Prosthesis and Care was officially opened on 1st April 2009 with its first patients fitted with new limbs funded by grants from The John Armitage Charitable Trust, The International Trust Fund, Marc Pereire and La Fondation Miracles Suisse.

The Centre now has its own Certified Prosthetist, Nihad Subasic, a Bosnian from Mostar who, along with Matthew Procter's assistant, Elvira Dugalic, now heads up the newly formed Bosnian Trust, Divita-Miracles, established to deal with local government matters and internal fundraising.

But to develop this major project into the centre of excellence for which it was built MIRACLES needs continuing funding for which we need your help.

One million landmines still unaccounted for……

The 92-95 war caused the loss of an estimated 250,000 lives, displaced nearly half of the pre war population of 4.4 million people and cost an estimated $100 billion in war damage.

The war turned Bosnia-Herzegovina from a medium income country to a poor one and it is estimated that over half of its current population are poor or border line poor and suffer serious shortage in all aspects of welfare.

The war left a legacy of landmines and 13 years on it is still one of the seven most land mined countries in the world. There have been an estimated 5,000 people damaged by these mines since the war – 1,660 since 1996 of which 328 have been children – 1 in 5 of every victim.

Given the level of widespread poverty and a health system that is fractured and underfunded many of these victims have gone without any kind of quality prosthetic care or psychological support. Children and young adults are the most vulnerable – the impact of a landmine explosion on their bodies and minds is devastating.

Children need their prosthetics altered or remade every six months to accommodate for growth. Without this regular support their prosthetic limbs are useless.

The Miracles Centre Objectives

• Provide prosthetic care for as many land mine victims as sustainable, across all regions of Bosnia-Herzegovina irrespective of a survivor’s location, religion or social/economical situation.
• Target children in the first instance, who are the most vulnerable and need constant ongoing support that current local services cannot meet.
• Liaise closely and establish effective working relationships with all heath authorities across each Canton in order to work as a complimentary arm of the national health system.
• Develop effective relationships and partners with other landmine survivor groups and care organizations locally and internationally.
• Develop an overall holistic and best practice approach, which will ensure all landmine survivors receive the quality of care they deserve.
• Develop a community based rehabilitation centre that can offer much needed psychosocial community support.
• Train two local citizens as CPOs to internationally recognized qualifications.
• Fully staff the Centre with Bosnia-Herzegovina citizens providing much needed employment.

Miracles is a non profit charity that relies on generous individuals to support us. We believe every person can make a difference and need dedicated individuals who believe landmine victims deserve the very best care and support that they can be given.

Whatever the size of your donation every single penny will go towards treating and supporting landmine victims and casualties of the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Please help Miracles to help them.

An account by ten year old Max Bean of his family's trip to Miracles Mission in Bosnia.
Part One: Mostar

On Tuesday 1st June 2010 Mummy, Daddy and me arrived at Dubrovnik Airport and travelled three hours by car to Bosnia where we met Matthew.

He showed us where we were going to stay at the Miracles Centre - and I had my own room. He then showed us round the Prosthetic Centre and Daddy took photos. We saw some limbs such as feet, legs and the cast they use for making hips. We also saw the kiln where they heats the joints up in.

Matthew took me outside the unit so I could see the goats. The scenery outside was amazing.

In the evening we went to a lovely restaurant and as it was Mummy's birthday we had a surprise cake for her and we sang Happy Birthday. After supper we walked across the bridge that got knocked down in the war and daddy got me a souvenir gift of the Mostar bridge encased in glass.

Continued in next section: Roma Housing and Education.