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About Us
Growing up in Montenegro it was natural for me and my family to help our neighbours and community during hard times. As a child I used to follow my grandmother around when she visited the elderly of our neighbourhood. She often brought food and other supplies and as I got older, I continued her work of visiting and taking care of the people around me.
I moved to Sweden in 1986 but I visit Montenegro a few times every year and always try to bring clothes and toys for the children at the country’s only orphanage.
In 2010 I was presented with the opportunity to start a charity to help the kids at the orphanage. We established NVO Riznica Mladosti with donations from a group of people who also helped with their knowledge and time to lay the groundwork for the organisation.
The organisation has been up and running for nearly 10 years now and we have seen fantastic results from our work. It warms my heart that my grandmother’s commitment to help her community has become a part of my and my daughter’s life.
Today the organisation har six employees stationed at the orphanage and to drive the organisation forward we need the support from people who want to make a difference. We are thankful for donations and gifts which enables us to continue our work for a better future for the kids.
About the orphanage and Montenegro
Montenegro is a small country on the balcony with beautiful scenery but a varied history.
After the Second World War, the state opened the orphanage for the children who became orphans during the war. Since then, the social authorities place all children whose parents cannot offer them a safe home in the orphanage.
Yugoslavia was violently divided in the 1990s, causing many social unrest. As a result, the number of children in need of a place to grow up again increased.
The orphanage in Mladost in Bijela is the only orphanage in Montenegro. It is funded and operated by the state. However, the country is not a rich country, and there is always much that can be done to help the children who cannot grow up with their own parents’ protection.
The children are between 0 and 18 years. In recent years, there are fewer infants, the very small ones are now instead placed in foster homes or adopted. The number of children in the orphanage varies over time, but often around 90 children live there.
The orphanage is state-funded. We, NVO Riznica Mladosti are an organization about working as a partner and supporting where we see that it is needed most.
Want to know more about growing up in an orphanage? Helena talks about her impression with a group of small children living in the orphanage.
Please contact us
Want to know more about us, volunteering or do you have other questions? You are most welcome to contact us.
