A few years ago, he went to Western Europe as a truck driver, but he always knew that it was just a necessary job that would help him reach the one that would be his passion. Driving trucks, he kept his eyes and mind wide open to see if he would discover something he could do upon his return to his native Zavidovici in Bosnia and Herzegovina. When the intention is sincere, the cards sort themselves out and solutions come. That’s how he came into contact with the process of metal sandblasting and, bright as he is, he realized that it was a business that he could successfully work in Bosnia and Herzegovina. There is demand, but there is no supply. Previous education in the road transport sector as well as a great love for repairing cars were sufficient prerequisites to start the business. Everything else is a process of improvement and lifelong learning.
Sabrija Paric is a twenty-two-year-old young man with a wide smile that conquers everyone with cheerfulness. With a big heart and even bigger dreams of success, a young man with a vision but also someone who puts a lot of effort into realizing it.
He decided to invest everything he saved in the basic equipment necessary to start the work.
As nothing in life happens by chance, the organization Help-Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V. started implementing its project “Support for the socio-economic stability of the Western Balkans region 2021-2022” in 2022, through which it seeks to give a wind in sails to people like Sabrija, who are only at the beginning of their business, when they need support to survive the most.
The support consisted in the procurement of equipment for the preparation of the sandblasting process as well as certain parts for working under pressure during sandblasting. He was also given a protective mask with an oxygen supply, without which his health would be at risk, and his eyes and face exposed to impacts of sand grains mixed with corrosion grains.
Since then, his small business began to take on the form of a real business enterprise, offers came to him from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sabrija brings back to life metal objects, vehicles, trucks that would otherwise very quickly become scrap metal and almost worthless to their owners and end up in a scrap yard. It extends their lifespan, beautifies them.
The by-product of sandblasting is a mixture of sand and pieces of metal, i.e. corrosion, which bonds well with bitumen and is used in the asphalting process. Thus, it does not pollute nature, it even protects it.
The Help e.V. organization continues its support to small businessmen in this local community in 2023 through the project “Inclusion and economic empowerment in the Western Balkans 2023/2024”. This year, at the request of the city administration, which is a partner and co-financier of these projects, the support is directed only to registered craftsmen whose trades are not older than five years.
Sabrija applied again. His work and effort invested in the development of the company in the previous period did not go unnoticed and deserves additional support, especially since he employed one worker. This time he was provided with a column car crane and a welding machine. This equipment enables him to perform his work faster and more efficiently. The quality of work rises to a new level and creates prerequisites for the growth and development of the company.
During the recent visit to the Help office in BiH by a high delegation from Germany, which consisted of members of its Management Board, they also visited Zavidovići. Sabrija was one of the beneficiaries that the members of this delegation visited.
That young man also impressed them with his enthusiasm and with how much love and passion he leads his business and talks about it.
He told them that he dreams of a large company in its own facility, which will be full of work and young employed people who will not have the need to dream of leaving their country just to be taken care of materially, although their soul always remains in their native region.
Story created by Help BH Team