What we do

In the North West Balks we work in development and humanitarian contexts across four thematic areas - Child Protection, Education, Child Poverty and Climate Change. We address the most pressing and sensitive issues, focusing on those that impact children the most, particularly children from vulnerable and marginalized groups.​ Our humanitarian response efforts started in 2014, including through responding to floods and to the migrant and refugee crisis that has persisted since 2015.

The Balkans Migration and Displacement Hub (BMDH) aims to improve knowledge about refugee and migrant children arriving in Europe through research, trend monitoring and evidence generation. BMDH documents good practices, promotes route-based programming, raises the visibility of children's needs and advocates for their rights.​ 

Danin takes part in activities sitting at desks at the winter school, Sarajevo

Children at the winter school run by Save the Children, at a school in Sarajevo. Kate Stanworth/ Save the Children

Localisation

SC NWB, including BMDH, has a longstanding commitment to a strong localisation and partnership approach and well-established long-term relationships with local CSOs in the Balkans. 

In 2024, we gathered local CSOs and grassroot organizations responding to the refugee and migration crises from the Balkans, Eastern Europe, and the Baltics for a series of peer-to-peer and learning exchanges. Our strategic steer promotes the development of equitable partnerships where local partners are not merely targets of capacity-building initiatives but positioned and elevated as holders of knowledge and experience in the region. 

Children take part in activities sitting at desks at the winter school, Sarajevo

Adna and Nadija, 9, at the winter school run by Save the Children, at a school in Sarajevo. Kate Stanworth/ Save the Children

Advocacy

In 2024, our preparatory learning programs for refugee and migrant children, which are based on Save the Children’s Healing and Education through the Arts (HEART) methodology, were successfully integrated into the formal education system and taken over by local primary schools in Una-Sana Canton in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Additionally, as of 2026,  HEART methodology will be incorporated as an elective course “Emotional Pedagogy” at the Pedagogical Faculty of University of Bihać in Bosnia and Herzegovina, providing future teachers with valuable learning opportunities.

Ismael, 12, has his hand up in a class at the winter school, Sarajevo

Staff and children at the winter school run by Save the Children, at a school in Sarajevo. Kate Stanworth/ Save the Children

Balkans Migration and Displacement Hub (BMDH)

This hub ensured the visibility of children affected by migration and displacement with new publications and methodologies and a focus on child participation.

Staff, Daris, 11 and Alija, 11 the winter school, Sarajevo

Staff and children at the winter school run by Save the Children, at a school in Sarajevo. Kate Stanworth/ Save the Children

Innovation

SC NWB started working on updating and digitalizing Boxes of Wonder methodology, an innovative approach to providing meaningful psychosocial support to children in transit. We have also established interactive dashboards with real-time data for all interventions, including migration.

For over 10 years, SCNWB has been supporting the development and quality delivery of drop-in center services for vulnerable children and families in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro.  For the first time in 2026, we will continue to support local NGOs that run drop-in centers with direct core funding rather than project-bound awards, thus enabling partners to prioritize key organizational and service delivery functions, retain essential staff, and adapt their operating models in the face of increasingly unpredictable funding environment.
 

Children play football during a break at the winter school, Sarajevo

Staff and children at the winter school run by Save the Children, at a school in Sarajevo. Kate Stanworth/ Save the Children

Systems Strengthening

In 2024 and 2025, SC NWB achieved a significant impact by strengthening the capacity of schools and educational institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia to respond to violence and other safety risks in and around school environments, in alignment with the Safe Schools Common Approach. 

By putting into place protocols and procedures at the school level, raising awareness of children and parents, building the capacities of teachers and school management, and improving the school infrastructure, we contributed to making the schools safer places for both children and adults.