In the local community of Gornji Podgradci, in the municipality of Gradiška, the association Mikro mreža from Gradiška organized a public meeting with representatives of this local community, as well as other nearby communities in the surrounding area.
Bojan Trgić from the Mikro mreža Association addressed the gathered citizens and local community representatives - around 20 people - in regard to the ideas he plans to promote in the upcoming period, seeking direct support from citizens for their realization. Primarily, Mikro mreža will aim to use its activities to influence the City Administration of Gradiška, with the intention of amending the Regulation on Incentives for Rural Areas. The goal is to create a dedicated budget line for youth from rural local communities, enabling them to start their own businesses. In doing so, the initiative hopes to encourage other young people to recognize the potential of rural communities and to reduce, at least to some extent, the outflow of youth to cities and abroad.
The attendees welcomed the initiative and spoke nostalgically about times when, for example, the Wood Industry in Gornji Podgradci employed hundreds of people and when people from Gradiška would come to work in Gornji Podgradci. Representatives of the local communities also discussed the lack of concrete initiatives aimed at rural areas, stating that the system has failed both at the entity level and the level of local government. As an example, they mentioned the absence of a regulated produce procurement system (despite the area being focused on fruit production), as well as the lack of fruit and produce drying facilities - factors that significantly discourage young people and residents in the area. Nevertheless, they see an opportunity to promote possibilities for youth through the push for small business development. This could, to some extent, slow down the rapid depopulation of rural areas, which is a serious issue across Bosnia and Herzegovina, and for which the primary responsibility lies with politicians - from the local to the national level.
A representative of Mikro mreža presented a series of activities that will be carried out in rural communities like this one. A survey is also planned to be conducted with young people and other citizens, through which they can express what they would find motivating in terms of starting a small business and in which areas. At the same time, advocacy efforts will be directed toward the City Administration to create conditions that would enable young people to apply for business start-up funding in the future. Progress will be continuously promoted, and an educational brochure will be created to help young people apply for such funding.
The activities and campaign have only just officially begun, and their success will be easily measurable—through the policies adopted by the City Administration and the number of young people from rural areas who apply to start their own businesses. Every step forward and improvement in rural communities is, without a doubt, of far greater benefit to society than the prevailing public perception of rural life suggests. Upcoming activities are planned in Nova Topola with representatives of the local community and surrounding areas, as well as meetings with the City Administration of Gradiška.
“By supporting the development of youth and rural areas, you are also supporting the development of society as a whole”, emphasize representatives of Mikro mreža.
