Help People with Intellectual Disabilities -Serbia

Luka, as his name suggests, truly is a source of light to his friends and family. His warm heart, outgoing personality and dedication ensure that he is able to overcome the many challenges in his path. A pivotal moment in Luka’s life was when his mom, Snezana, brought him around to see the KEC center for the first time. From that initial encounter Luka and his mom knew this was a good place for him. At KEC he found a peaceful oasis where the staff offered understanding, love and support.

Although he had been trained at technical high school for physical therapy and pharmacy, he never dreamed that he could be employed in a company. That changed when the KEC staff called his mom one day asking her if Luka would like a job. That day was the happiest day of Luka’s life. His mother says: “[I] can’t describe the joy we both felt that day when the KEC staff called us to give us the news. Suddenly a whole new window opened on our lives. For the first time Luka felt that he was an adult, he was needed, and that someone valued him. That feeling is necessary for every living thing and my son, Luka, had finally experienced that. Until then Luka’s life revolved around overcoming prejudices against people with intellectual disabilities. And for the first time someone believed in him and what he could contribute. Today Luka is employed in EUROPOS, a software solutions company, where he works alongside wonderful people who treat him well and enjoy his company. He takes care to get there on time and to do what is required of him while at work. It is like in a good dream… but it is actually reality… a wonderful reality… one that neither Luka nor I ever dreamed of. 

The KEC team truly does the impossible. They saved my son and they gave him the opportunity for a normal and beautiful life. They put a smile on his face that hasn’t vanished even once since he stepped into KEC. For this I am eternally grateful to the whole KEC team.”

With your support KEC is able to continue to help people like Luka stay engaged and keep his mom beaming with pride. 

Next Gen

“My KEC internship is how I knew I was on the right academic and professional path,” said Marijana a fourth year psychology student at Singidunum University. After almost four years of studying psychology Marijana wasn’t certain how she would put all her theoretical knowledge to use or if it even had any practical application. That changed when she began her six months internship at KEC. She was one of more than the 200 hundred Singidunum students finishing degrees in psychology and social work who have interned at KEC over the past seven years. For a minimum of 40 hours students come to KEC to see for the first time what it will be like to put their academic knowledge to work. Working alongside KEC  staff these students have the opportunity to develop and implement their own programming. “KEC gave me my first chance to work with people with various intellectual and developmental disabilities,” said Ana a fourth year social work student, “but what was most meaningful was when I saw that my work made an impact on the beneficiaries.”

In addition to creating and implementing programs the interns are provided with supervision from the KEC professional staff. In the warm and friendly environment of the KEC center the interns get feedback and guidance from the experienced professional team. Interns are also taught how to navigate the bureaucratic and administrative elements of working and running a center of this nature. As Marijana, Ana and the other interns enter the workforce this internship will have provided them with the skills to easily integrate into any workplace in this field. One common remark from all the internship alumni is that after their time at KEC they feel much more confident about their ability to find a job and how they will perform once they have one.

KEC is excited that over the past seven years it has been so closely involved in helping shape and inspire future professionals in the social service fields. This new generation of teachers, psychologists and social workers are the ones who will serve our beneficiaries for the next decades and we are honored to have a role in helping them grow.

Your continued support enables this and all of KEC’s other programming.