Miloš Dojčinović from Donji Podgradci in Gradiška is now living his dream. Until just a few months ago, Miloš was working an online job that wasn’t closely related to his profession. However, having completed secondary school as a mechanical technician, he decided to pursue the profession he loves and start his own business by registering a company. The first step he took was purchasing two CNC machines needed for crafting wooden items. He then enrolled in a business course organized by the Gradiška City Administration in partnership with the Swedish Embassy. The course helped him improve his knowledge, and the funds he received will be used to purchase tools and a new machine necessary for his work, allowing him to further equip his workshop and expand his product range. “I currently sell my products online, through social media, and I believe that now, after receiving the funds, my product offering will increase, which will enable me to grow the business. For now, I plan to keep selling online, but I also intend to start attending fairs to show people what I do and what my work looks like”, says Miloš optimistically.

Miloš also heard about the initiative launched by the citizens' association “Mikro mreža,” with the support of the PRAGG project, which is aimed at supporting young entrepreneurs in the rural areas of Gradiška. “I think this initiative will greatly help people living in our local communities. At the meeting organized by the association in our community - where I first learned about the initiative - many people expressed interest in getting involved in tourism, because Mount Kozara, which is nearby, offers excellent potential. A large number of tourists already come here to enjoy our nature. I believe this is a great initiative that will contribute to the development of our region”, says young entrepreneur Miloš Dojčinović.

Bojan Trgić, president of the citizens’ association “Mikro mreža” from Gradiška, emphasized the following after surveying young people in local communities across Gradiška: “More than 70% of young people expressed interest in starting a business in a rural area and said that, if successful, they would choose to stay and live in the countryside. The City Administration agreed that more support should be given to young people in rural areas in order to help keep them there". The positive response from the local authorities gave additional momentum to the representatives of “Mikro mreža,” who officially submitted an initiative to the Gradiška City Administration to support young people in rural areas in starting their own businesses. The City Administration stated that fostering an entrepreneurial spirit is the best way to retain young people in local communities and announced their support for the initiative. “We expect that 120,000 KM will be allocated in the Gradiška city budget for supporting young people in launching their own businesses, and that this funding line will be established by the fall. We continuously invest in the development of entrepreneurship in the Gradiška area, which is confirmed by the fact that, through international projects and our own funds, we have supported 40 projects aimed at starting private businesses”, said Darko Vrhovac, Head of the Development Department at the Gradiška City Administration.

And it was precisely one of these international projects that enabled our interviewee from the beginning of the story to realize his dream and start his own business. It hasn’t been easy - far from it. But despite all the difficulties and challenges that lie ahead, Miloš encourages everyone who may be hesitant about taking the leap into entrepreneurship: “It’s important not to be afraid to express your idea. First, you need to thoroughly research the market, have faith in your idea, but also consult with knowledgeable and experienced people who can help you refine it, because every bit of advice is welcome. And above all, it’s important not to give up on your business idea”.

This uplifting story from the northwest of our country, which continues to grow each day and spread a positive and optimistic message, serves as a great example of how local communities should think and invest in their youth. Because, as the old saying goes - the future belongs to the young.

“If we give young people the opportunity to realize their potential and succeed, we can expect to live together in a successful and prosperous country”, emphasize activists from Gradiška.