Twenty school grants for the students of Sisak

Seven hundred HRK per month can help a lot with the modest household budget. The grant-aided students from Sisak admit it. They come to universities from the town known for its high unemployment rate. In spite of that, they hope to get a job in Sisak when they finish their studies.

For rent and for food

- If there was a vacancy in my field of work, I would come back – says Dino Begic, who studies in Rijeka. He is in the third year of the Faculty of Philosophy where he studies Croatian language and literature and the history of art. He has got a grant for the first time and he will spend it to pay for essential things, to pay a rent and to buy things which he needs for schooling. Martina Smit is also thinking of coming back to Sisak. This young girl studies math and computer science at PMF Faculty. After she finishes, she shouldn’t have problems with finding a job. They are all educated and ambitious and they hope that the difficult economic situation will improve in the next few years in their town as well.

- When I think about the place where I would like to work, I am ready to accept anything, so Sisak is also an option. – Ivan Kreso, who is in the fourth year of computer science at FER Faculty, says. A future artist Sven Kovacevic also hopes to work in domestic field. He needs the money mostly for professional materials, but he will also use some for the essential things like buying food and paying bills.

Feeling free, but at home

- The artists are not bound for one place and one area of work, but it is certain that I will work in Sisak. I am in the field of design and graphics and this will lead me more towards Zagreb – Sven says. The Mayor of Sisak Dinko Pintaric handed the students 20 new contracts for grants.

- Consider this as a nice Christmas present in this difficult economic situation that affects us all. Now you need the money mostly for books, but this will pay you back later on. You just go on studying because the outcomes include creativity and knowledge. – Pintaric said. The money was funded by the board of OTP Bank which provided 100 thousand HRK for young people from Sisak for their high education.