CBM for Youth: Signe Borch’s Story

I first heard of CBM when I was researching what organizations were active in Mitrovica with community building and reconciliation activities. I was in Mitrovica to do research for my PhD dissertation focusing on security and NGO work.

My experience of Mitrovica was ambiguous. People both South and North of the river were very amicable, but it was also hard life that I experienced. People struggled, water shortages, and electricity cuts were part of daily life, and the continued tension politically and between the different communities, with violent incidents and spreading fear was a great impact which also affected the work of the NGOs I followed in my research. I found that CBM coped with these things very well and always with the safety of their employees at heart.

My first impressions were that CBM was working very hard to give the communities in Mitrovica something to share, in form of experiences, and educational activities, but also in form of improving the infrastructure and creating opportunities for the people of the different communities to meet.CBM represents positivity for me.

CBM offers local communities a meeting place, they offer education and training. I think they offer hope and meaning to many in a place where hope and meaning often can disappear in the environment of post-war, political conflict and instability, and struggle for life.I am very grateful for CBM, its employees and network for opening up and allowing me to follow them in their everyday lives.