In 1998, I was a year out of graduating.
I had just secured my first 'real' job as a fundraiser in a small to medium charity that worked in Eastern Europe and China. I was recruited to phone up companies and ask for surplus stock to include in shipments heading out to around 7 countries on the other side of Europe that the charity supported.
Just a few months in. We had news of the mass exodus from Kosovo into the neighbouring countries. The scenes in TV were of bombing, buildings on fire and lines & lines of people walking.
The small charity that I was working for was quick to respond. Particularly in what were termed as "unstructured" settlements.
I recall calling many groups for help and receiving a lot of support from pharmaceuticals, clothing companies and food.
The numbers of people being displaced were estimated well over a million at 1.5m into surrounding countries.
I watched the figures rise on the UNHCR website daily. I desperately made calls and sent faxes every day during this time. Some calls were more fruitful than others.
Tomorrow, eighteen years later, I'm travelling to country that I followed so closely for the first time. I'm meeting people who were attacked, lost family, friends and their homes... and were then ignored. I'm told that we will meet people with disabilities, those in Roma settlements and others on the wrong side of the 25% that do have jobs.
A lot has happened in eighteen years. The region is now a country. People are trying to pick up the pieces. As for me: had several more jobs, got married, had children.
A lot has changed.
Tomorrow I travel there, 18 years later, and I travel with my son, Caleb. Updates to come.
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