The Combined Housing and Education Intervention Plan (CHE-IP)

The aim of CHE-IP is quite simple - to provide homes and education for vulnerable and disadvantaged families living in Zenica. Many families face severe economic hardship and all too often, the burden of providing an income falls to children who are compelled to go out to beg and scavenge. If a family is able to send a child to school, boys are often favoured over girls. Often these poor children are frequently humiliated, bullied and suffer verbal abuse because of their dishevelled and pitiful appearance.

It is Matthew's wish to get some of these disadvantaged children into school by this September 2007. Many of these children currently spend their days begging and roaming the streets.

The ten year plan aims to change this by focusing on two major initiatives. Firstly, it intends to provide permanent housing to 14 disadvantaged families. Secondly, it intends to create and strengthen the pathway for their children to gain an education which, in turn, will give them the opportunity for a sustainable adult future.