While 1,510 hours sounds like a lot, that’s exactly how much time Banja Luka resident Ivana Ševarika has spent helping others – listening, serving, sharing hope, and standing by those who needed help the most.
Those hours amount to actual years of selfless giving, for which Ivana recently received the title of the most outstanding volunteer and the Republic Award for the best volunteer in the Republika Srpska entity.
“When I found out that I was the winner, I felt a lot of gratitude and joy, because it’s a confirmation of many years of commitment, effort, and dedication to the community. For me, it’s the crowning achievement for everything I do, but also an incentive to continue serving where help is needed most,” said Ivana.
Her volunteer journey began when she was nine years old. Over time, volunteering became a way of life for her.
“I was shaped by my encounters with people living in a state of social need who don’t have the basic necessities for life. These encounters showed me how much a simple gesture of care, support, or listening can actually mean,” she explained.
It was these situations that taught her true empathy and the strength to stay by others’ side, regardless of the circumstances. Indeed, the most harrowing scenes were etched in her memory and will remain for the rest of her life. Both tears and laughter, she says, are part of volunteering.
“The most difficult part for me was when I participated in distributing humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable. Encountering their stories, life struggles, and worries left a lasting mark. That’s when I realized how little it takes to give hope back to someone,” said Ivana.
Being a volunteer means putting the needs of others ahead of your current plans, sacrificing your time, freedom, and energy. This is often second nature for the best volunteer in the RS because, as she says, the things she does come from a desire to help, not for a reward.
“If I had to summarize 1,510 volunteer hours into one emotion, that emotion would be empathy. Because empathy guided my every move in volunteer work. It’s not a weakness but a true strength. Empathy and the ability to understand others and sympathize with them make up the true strength and meaning in life,” she emphasized.
During her volunteer work, she was mostly engaged in projects to bring about real changes in her community, such as the Women’s Entrepreneurship Caravan [Karavan ženskog preduzetništva], which supports women and their role in society.
Ivana reflected that her decision to support society’s most vulnerable derives from the feeling that her contribution can make a real difference in their lives.
When asked if volunteering is worthwhile, she said not only that, but it’s the true meaning of existence: “Volunteering not only helps others but also shapes you as a person. The feeling that you’ve helped someone, even if only a little, is one of the most beautiful feelings a person can have.”
After receiving this prestigious award, she will continue her humanitarian journey with what she describes as an ‘extra boost.’
“I absolutely plan to continue. My plans include getting involved in areas that are important but maybe less represented, such as supporting young people, improving education, working with local animal shelters, and other socially significant projects. I want volunteering to become a driver of positive change in the community,” concluded Ivana.
