Sabiha Husić

My name is Sabiha Husic. Even when I was a girl of less than 14, I had my own attitude. Either I will go to the Sarajevo Madrasa, which in the 80's was not valued as much as other high schools, or I will not go to school at all.

I'm going to school in Sarajevo. But the 1992 war interrupted my dreams. As an exile from my native Vitez, I came to Zenica. I can NEVER forget the good people who helped us on the way to Zenica. I was a student of Islamic theology at the time and realized that I needed to do something to help myself and other women. I started helping the exiles and those were my pioneering steps in dealing with trauma. And at the same time, through the Majlis of the Islamic Community, I worked with women and children. Then came the idea to establish the first show for women "Voice of Women" on Radio Zenica.

In that working momentum, I met women from the organization Medica Zenica who were extremely brave, in solidarity, and dared to help others in those difficult war years. I joined them. First as a volunteer, and later as a psychotherapist to work with women survivors of rape and sexual abuse, domestic violence and human trafficking. I always try to listen to the needs of people, especially women and children, to recognize what the problem is and how to find solutions.

So in 2007 I became the director of Medica and took over to run it when all the donors withdrew and many gave up. One of my colleagues says: "Sabiha continued to crochet even when the thread disappeared!" I worked hard, committed to deeply believing in the changes for the better life of every woman, especially the most vulnerable, to regain their strength, dignity and I did not think about rewards but others recognized it. First in the world, and only then in Bosnia. In 2014, I received the Women of the World Award. This award was a recognition of my many years of work and commitment to help vulnerable categories. What I want to say is that I give of myself what God has entrusted to me.

Small but true steps lead to happiness and thus to success. I believed I could, learned and wanted to change myself and help others. We need change to know our own values ​​and strengths. The determined girl who says: "Either I will go to Madrasa or I will not go to school at all", brought me to be the FIRST doctor of gender sciences at the University of Bosnia, and to give my scientific contribution to equality of all women in addition to working directly with women. .

English version

My name is Sabiha Husic.

Even when I was a 14-year-old girl, I had my own clear attitude: Either I will go to Sarajevo's Medresa, which in the 80s was not valued as much as other high schools, or I will not go to school at all .

So I went to school in Sarajevo. But that unfortunate war in 1992 interrupted my dreams. As an exile from my hometown Vitez, I came to Zenica. I can never forget the good people who helped us on the way. I was a student at Islamic Theology, and at that time, I realized that I needed to do something to help myself and other women. I started helping refugees who were placed in elementary schools in Zenica, and these were my first steps in dealing with trauma. At the same time, through the Majlis of the Islamic Community, I worked with women and children. Then the idea arose to establish the first show for women "Voices of Women" on Radio Zenica.

Through work, I met women from the organization Medica Zenica who were extremely brave, and in solidarity, dared to help others in those difficult war years. I joined them on their journey. First as a volunteer, and later as a psychotherapist, working with women survivors of rape and other forms of sexual abuse, domestic violence and human trafficking.

I always listened to the needs of people, especially women and children, to recognize what the problem is and how to find solutions. Thus, in 2007, I became the director of Medica and continued the fight for the welfare of all women in Bosnia and Herzegovina. That was a very difficult time to work at Medica. When the donors started to withdraw, and everyone gave up, I continued even harder. I was described as the woman 'who knitted when there was no more thread. "

I worked persistently, dedicatedly believing in the changes for a better life of every woman, especially the most vulnerable ones, to regain their strength, dignity and I did not think about rewards. But many have recognized that and awarded me. First, I was awarded internationally, then in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2014, I received the Women of the World Award.

I believe that only good deeds are truly valuable, and this award was a recognition of my commitment to helping vulnerable categories. What I want to say is that I give it all in the job that God has entrusted me with. Small steps lead to happiness and thus to success. I believed that I could, I learned to change myself for better in order to help others. And we need change to know our own self-value and strength.

The determined attitude of the girl who says: "Either I will go to the Madrasa or I will not go to school at all", brought me to be the first Doctor of Gender Sciences at the University of Bosnia, and to give my scientific contribution to women's equality in addition to my direct work with women in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also in the world.