Bosnian Refugee Family Begins Making Restaurant Dream a Reality
Robert and Sonja Hadzic, a mixed-marriage refugee family from Trebinje, Bosnia, came to Serbia with only a few bags of their most precious personal belongings. In their quest to find jobs and better living conditions they settled in the southwestern Serbian city of Novi Pazar, where Robert found a job as a waiter and his wife as a cook in a local restaurant. While they had work, they were barely able to make ends meet.
The Hadzics dreamed of starting their own restaurant but many challenges stood in their way. They lacked the start-up capital required to purchase the required equipment, space, and inventory. Securing credit from a local bank was nearly impossible without an established business and no collateral, and the family did not meet requirements for other micro-grant programs operating in the region.
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| A USAID-supported micro grant helped the Hadzics begin working toward a
brighter future |
In late 2004, the Hadzics applied to a USAID-funded refugee/internally displaced person grant program operated by Mercy Corps. Thanks to their considerable experience in the food-production business and a sound business plan, they received a grant of $2,700. They set to work pulling together their business.
To start, the couple offered breakfast and lunch deliveries for construction workers around town. They delivered 30-50 meals per day from space they rented near a local school, a location that also guaranteed them a steady customer base throughout the day. A growing stream of customers convinced Robert to quit his second job and dedicate his efforts solely on his own business, and he joined Sonja in a rigorous schedule.
"By six a.m. we're already in the restaurant preparing meals. We work the entire day, usually not returning home until sometime in the evening," said Robert. The Hadzics' son is also a part of the family business, accompanying Robert during his deliveries and staying with the couple at
their workplace.
The Hadzic family plans to expand its business to meet growing demand. Their ultimate dream is opening a sit-down restaurant in Novi Pazar's center. Thanks to the American people's help through USAID, they have taken a big first step toward this goal.
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