Listening project: Field visit report - Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Listening Project organized a two-week field effort in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in July
2006. Catholic Relief Services, CHF International, International Orthodox Christian Charities,
Mercy Corps, Partner Microcredit Organization, and REZ Regional Development Organization
collaborated with CDA in arranging for, and carrying out, the field visit of the Listening Project
in BiH. Each of these agencies provided funds, staff and other in-kind support (hospitality,
logistical support, transport, etc.) to the effort, and CDA sent two people to facilitate this
listening exercise.

Five teams of “listeners,” some composed of a Bosnian with an international staff, and others
with only Bosnian staff from the different aid agencies, visited several areas of BiH– in and
around Banja Luka, Tuzla, Mostar, Zenica, and Sarajevo. In many cases, conversations were not
pre-arranged. A listening team would go to a town or village and strike up a conversation with
whomever was available and willing to talk. In order to expand the range of people to whom we
listened, we made appointments to talk with government officials, local NGOs, and
businesspeople. In several places, the LP teams would begin with a visit to the Mayor or other
municipal government officials, to engage him/her in conversation about their involvement in
and their take on the impacts of international assistance on local communities.

Conversations included a range of people, some of whom had been direct recipients of
international aid and some of whom had not. Often, teams would visit people in their homes or
offices, and sometimes teams would stop in a café and talk with people there. In the locations
visited over five days, the listening teams held over 80 conversations of varying length and depth
with over 175 people. The conversations included people from all ethnic groups, older people
and youth; officials and citizens; men and women; people in urban and rural areas; returnees,
domiciles, internally displaced persons and some who had resettled elsewhere; people who had
received a great deal of assistance and others who had not; people who held leadership positions
and those who felt marginalized.