On 28^th March 1999, 19 women and children in the town of Podujevo were gunned down in a brutal act of ethnic cleansing in the Kosovo War.

Five children of the Bogujevci and the Duriqi families survived this massacre. When the Kosovo war ended in June 1999, they  were found in a Kosovan hospital by British army doctors. They were medically evacuated to Britain and have been in Manchester ever since.

Throughout my teenage years I got to know one of these children incredibly well – Saranda Bogujevci – and I’m pleased to say we remain great friends. Saranda became like one of our family. I was honoured that, as a British teenager oblivious to current affairs and the very idea of war, she had the patience to share with me her incredible story of becoming a war survivor. Saranda’s mother and two younger brothers were murdered in the massacre in 1999 – a challenge which anyone would struggle with. She is an exceptional person who continues to share her story and fight bravely with her cousins to bring the soldiers who committed these atrocities to justice. 

Her courage and determination led to my interest in Kosovo and a longing to visit her home town. In summer 2013, I was fortunate enough to make my first visit to Podujevo, working alongside Manchester Aid to Kosovo (MaK).  MaK is a charity run by volunteers based in the UK, it supports recovery and development in Kosovo by providing opportunities, resources, and developing partnerships.

MaK was founded in 1999 by some passionate people in Manchester as an emergency response to the escalating ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. MaK sent over 1,000 tons of aid to the region and supported refugees, many of whom had experienced the murder or disappearance of family members.

Child survivors like members of the Bogujevci family, help lead the charity.  Their experiences are shared in an exhibition in the Imperial War Museum North, ‘Children and War’. Their eventual physical and emotional healing was aided by skilful surgery, loving support from the community and rest and recuperation in the plentiful parks and gardens of Manchester. The children told MaK they’d like to create the Manchester Peace Park in their home town, Podujevë, Kosova, in honour of the care and love they received from the people of Manchester. 

The Peace Park in Podujevo provides the base from which MaK runs an annual summer school; in 2013 I was fortunate enough to be part of it.

Anyone who knows me knows I love tennis! As a teenager I played regularly in the ladies teams for Bowdon Lawn Tennis club.  Through the guidance and support of a great coach, Mark Jones, from Bowdon Bowling Lawn Tennis club, I completed a Level 1 coaching certificate and helped out in his tennis camps and coaching sessions every year. Thanks to this, I was able to introduce tennis into the MaK summer school – a sport most of the children had not had the opportunity to play.  Thanks to the generous donation of equipment from the sports department at St Augustine Academy in Maidstone and some incredibly kind family and friends’ monetary donations, Podujevo had its first taste of tennis! 

Facilities were limited, it was a far cry from the pristine all weather astro and grass courts I was spoilt with at Bowdon.  But nonetheless, with a few cones, rope for a net and lots of energy and enthusiasm, we quickly created Podujevo’s very own Wimbledon! 

Now, two years on I want to go back and bring more equipment – ideally two mini-tennis nets so the trained local Kosovan leaders can continue to play tennis with the kids.

I will be running the Great Manchester Run – 10K on 10^th May 2015 and on 31^st July I will be flying back out to Kosovo for MaK’s summer school 2015! I can’t wait to see all the Kosovan team again and the children I first coached will be 2 years older and no doubt already better than me at tennis! 

3 x tennis balls cost 99p, a mini-tennis net and stand costs £89.99; so, ANY donations big or small will be greatly appreciated!

If anyone has any spare old rackets, tennis balls or other sports equipment please, please get in touch before June so I can organise taking it out with me.  (amsc@hotmail.co.uk)