Exchange of good practices – Žene sa Une visits homeless shelter in Cologne

Within the framework of the project “Support to CSOs for the improvement of social-cohesion in the border region of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina” representatives from CSO organizations and governmental institutions visited GULLIVER, a centre for the homeless in Cologne.

GULLIVER is the first facility of its kind in Germany. The services offered to the guests range from hygiene facilities such as showers, toilets, washing machines and laundry dryers to wardrobes, hairdressing, a station for battery charging for mobile phones and access to postal addresses. Besides breakfast and dinner a variety of snacks is offered.

Exhibitions and cultural events are also an integral part of what GULLIVER offers to its guests.

Reducing the suffering of the homeless and vulnerable people, support their capacities by giving them home, care, health services and simple activities are challenges for each society.

“I am thrilled that poor people who are in trouble are treated as guests here. This is an excellent example of how to treat vulnerable groups of people,” said one of the participants.

The project “Support to CSOs for the improvement of social-cohesion in the border region of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina” has been implemented by the association Žene sa Une (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and UNA (Croatia) in partnership with Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund and Ženska grupa Donji Lapac under the financial support of the European Union IPA Cross-border Cooperation programme for Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.