Laughter after silence: From war trauma to a community of support

The journey of women who learned to heal together

August 5, 2026

Mothers who found peace of mind again and daughters who discovered new strength through the support of other women have reclaimed their smiles and, at least for a while, been able to enjoy life’s simple pleasures and a sense of belonging. Some are war widows; others are daughters who grew up without fathers. All share painful memories and carry the weight of experiences from the wars of the 1990s in Bosnia and Herzegovina. For years, they learned to speak little, if at all, about their pain and to care for others before caring for themselves. But over the past ten months, something changed.

Through the project “Overcoming the Post-Traumatic Consequences of War Trauma Among Women”, implemented by the “Education Builds Bosnia and Herzegovina – Jovan Divjak” Association with the support of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), women from Visoko and Ilijaš found more than professional psychological support. They found something they had been missing even more: time for themselves and a community that stands beside them.

At the beginning, they arrived at the workshops as complete strangers. Some spoke only a few words. One participant from Ilijaš recalled being afraid of how she would fit in among women who already had experience with similar programmes.

“I remember that at first I would answer with only one or two words, such as ‘good’, ‘nice’, ‘everything is fine’... I think I opened up the most after the first gathering with all the project participants because I saw that others had gone through even greater challenges and spoke about them openly, without worrying about what others might think, but rather about how they themselves felt,” she wrote after completing the programme.

“This project gave me freedom in communication, self-expression, and helped me in other life experiences,” she concluded.

This transformation, from withdrawal and mistrust to openness and mutual support, became one of the project's most significant achievements.

Over ten months, the women participated together in psychosocial workshops, spoke about trauma, learned how to recognize and express emotions, and rediscovered space for joy in everyday life. The project reached 75 women, more than double the originally planned number, and by its conclusion 80 percent of participants reported improved emotional stability and reduced trauma-related symptoms.

But numbers alone cannot tell the story of what happened between the workshops.

For many of the women, the most meaningful moments were those that many people take for granted: travelling together, seeing the first snowfall, watching the sunset by the sea, or attending the theatre.

Snow and Ballet: A Group Enjoying Every Moment

During the retreat on Bjelašnica Mountain, the women say they rediscovered a sense of carefree joy.

“The snow was falling, and we walked like happy children, breathing in the crisp air. We were not afraid of the snowflakes because we let them melt on our rosy cheeks. It felt like something out of a fairy tale, a group that never gets tired,” wrote one of the participants about her experience.

A few months later, the same group attended a performance of the ballet Giselle at the National Theatre Sarajevo. For some, it was their first time ever attending a ballet performance. Although it may seem like a simple event, it left a lasting impression.

“We all got dressed up, did our hair and makeup. We left all our chores behind and there we were at the theatre. Like true ladies, queens proudly walking across the red carpet,” she wrote. “We watch the ballet. I absorb every movement. How can silence speak so powerfully?”

Another participant described a similar experience.

“I had the chance to go to the theatre and watch a ballet performance. The ballet calmed me and brought peace to my heart,” she wrote. Then she asked herself a question that perhaps best captures the significance of the project: “Would I have gone to Bjelašnica, Neum, or the theatre on my own? No. There would always have been something else that seemed more important.”

For another participant, the theatre visit was an experience she will remember for a long time.

“The theatre was incredible and unforgettable. I felt so much love for everyone and I felt like a princess. It was my first time watching a live ballet,” she wrote. “Before joining this project, I thought there was no help for me. But after this, I feel strong and loved.”

Perhaps the essence of these activities lies precisely in those words.

A Growing Network of Support

Although the workshops were designed to help women cope with the consequences of war trauma, what emerged naturally was a network of mutual support. Women who had spent years believing they were alone began to recognize their own stories in the experiences of others.

“We realized that we are not alone in any problem and that together we can overcome things, letting go of burdens that had been smouldering inside us for years,” wrote one participant from Visoko.

Another summed up her experience in just a few words:

“I went from skepticism to believing in sincerity. From mistrust, you taught us trust.”

By the end of the project, the message most often repeated by participants was not gratitude for the workshops, trips, or activities. It was gratitude for no longer feeling forgotten.

“For a few days, we forgot the burdens we carry and felt that there are people who see us, understand us, and want to bring back our smiles,” wrote the women from Visoko in a joint letter. “You showed us that we have not been forgotten.”

And that may be the initiative’s greatest achievement. It helped women cope with trauma, but more importantly, it created a space where they moved from loneliness to belonging, from silence to conversation, and from believing they had to carry everything alone to realizing they have support and strength around them.

The project implemented by the “Education Builds Bosnia and Herzegovina – Jovan Divjak” Association is just one of dozens of initiatives supporting victims, witnesses, and families affected by the conflicts of the 1990s across the former Yugoslavia. These initiatives are funded through the regional programme “EU Support to Confidence Building in the Western Balkans.” The programme is funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP to address the legacy of the past, strengthen cooperation among judicial institutions across the region, and support victims, their families, and younger generations in building a future based on mutual understanding and trust.