Finding stability, one step at a time in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Finding stability, one step at a time in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Kateryna Ivinska, a refugee from Ukraine, is rebuilding her life in Sarajevo as an IT administrator.
When Kateryna Ivinska fled Ukraine in 2022 with her husband and their one-year-old son, Bosnia and Herzegovina was never meant to be home. Like thousands of other Ukrainians, they were simply searching for safety from the full-scale Russian invasion.
“We didn’t know what our future would be. We didn’t know the war would be so devastating and last for so long,” Kateryna recalls. Today, she is rebuilding her life in Sarajevo, working as an IT administrator in a local company.
Her family applied for international protection status soon after arriving and received it in 2024. That recognition opened the door to integration support - a lifeline for refugees trying to settle in new communities.
Through the project Ensured Socio-Economic Inclusion for Refugee Population in Need of International Protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) offer counselling, vocational training, small business grants, and other programs designed to help refugees build stable lives.
For many refugees, the first steps toward a new life are the hardest. For Kateryna, that meant searching for a job. She didn’t know where to go or who to turn to. CRS guided her through the process – helping her polish her CV, draft a motivational letter, and prepare for interviews.
“She was really driven and motivated to learn and to get a job,” remembers Asja Kulic, a CRS project officer. Kateryna herself says: “My son is my greatest motivation. I want to live a normal life. I want to be fulfilled as a person who has opportunities.”
Kateryna receives guidance from CRS Project Officer Asja Kulic, who helped her prepare for the job market.
Her persistence paid off. In June 2025, she secured a position in an IT company through a public employment program. These programs encourage unemployed people to actively seek work while connecting them with employers. Their wage co-financing support helps employers hire refugees on equal terms with local workers.
“This is a winning combination for everyone,” says Emir Causevic, Kateryna’s supervisor. “She came with little experience and spent the initial period learning. That stage is an investment for the company, and the subsidy is very important because it helps employers make it. Later, she can grow into a valuable part of the team.”
“Access to decent work is one of the most important steps toward stability for refugees. When people are supported to use their skills and connect to employment, they can move beyond survival, rebuild their lives with dignity, and begin planning for a secure future,” said Lucie Gagne, UNHCR Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Behind individual success stories like Kateryna’s lies a broader effort to strengthen national and local systems and secure lasting support for those seeking refuge. UNHCR and CRS recently facilitated a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees and employment offices – a pledge to work more closely together to give refugees better access to employment opportunities.
The agreement aims to improve communication between public services and ensure better exchange of information. For refugees, that means fewer obstacles and a smoother path to employment. “In this way, we show people under subsidiary protection that the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina cares for them,” said the Minister of Human Rights and Refugees at the signing.
At the signing of a memorandum of understanding, Sevlid Hurtić, Minister of Human Rights and Refugees and Employment Offices, pledged closer cooperation to improve refugee access to jobs.
By combining support for individuals like Kateryna with institutional reform, UNHCR and CRS are helping refugees not only survive but also thrive.
“Every step has been truly important for me – from counseling to employment, and now to the work process itself,” Kateryna says.
Although true stability still feels distant to her, this job allows her to look ahead with less fear. Each day of work brings her closer to the security she dreams of. “I am grateful to everyone, because now I have a job and the opportunity to work and provide a bright future for myself and my child.”
