SAVE A SMALL FARM DEVASTATED BY EARTHQUAKE

A decade ago, our family bought a small farm in Majske Poljane, a village situated in the central part of Croatia which has the highest rates of poverty. We idealistically believed that by developing a little hazelnut farm, we would make a positive impact on the areas that were most profoundly affected by the War of the 1990s and failed to recover afterward.

As if the devastating impacts of climate change were not challenging enough for our little family farm, in December of 2020, Majske Poljane was flattened by two catastrophic earthquakes. We used to have two Storage Buildings for Farm Equipment and a Storage for Crops. Two buildings entirely collapsed and one is so severely damaged that it was deemed unsafe by structural engineers. We presently keep the rest of the equipment and machinery outdoors, exposed to weather and unprotected against theft.

Our government has completely failed us and despite initial promises it has become clear that it won’t be giving us any financial aid to rebuild. The government is concentrating on rebuilding the capital and doesn’t care about the poor and remote areas which don’t matter in elections.

Whoever was able to leave Majske Poljane has fled, and these people are not coming back.

Those of us who have chosen not to flee and easily give up on everything, who actually produce something and endeavor to create something of value in this forgotten region indeed need your help. We hope that unlike our government, you would recognize our hard work and help us rebuild our family farm. If you could support us by making a donation and then sharing it with your network, we would greatly appreciate it. No matter the size of your donation – every little bit helps.