‘I have joined my love for rafting and the Vrbas River with my personal business ambitions. I do what I love and make a living of it.’
Adrenalin adventure on the Vrbas River
From an early age, Almir has been tied to the river. As a teenager, he learnt how to navigate the dayak boat, a landmark of Banja Luka and the Vrbas River. He got a lifeguard certification in the Rafting and Diving Club ‘Buk’, and the milestone in his rafting career was his volunteering in the rafting world cup that took place in Banja Luka in 2009.
Almir had the opportunity to meet some of the most famous rafters and, shortly after, he received ten-day training for a skipper that took place on the Tara River, where he got his professional certification. He worked for three years as a skipper afterwards, gaining precious experience in organizing these routes. Later on, he took over the Rafting Club ‘Argonaut’, which was about to cease to exist, thus doubling the income and buying two new boats with complete additional equipment. Although he ran the club successfully, he wanted to set up his own rafting centre, where he could fully express his potential and carry out his plans and, as a result, the Rafting Centre ‘Vrbas’ was found in 2017.
At the very beginning, it was difficult to reconcile all the jobs, from the administration, through the logistics and rafting tours, but owing to the persistence and commitment of the entire team, “Vrbas Rafting” managed to survive. Through YEP Business Ideas Incubator, he received support for the purchase of new, much needed boats. For Almir, as a person who adores the river, there is no greater satisfaction and fulfilment than the fact that he managed to merge his love for rafting and Vrbas with his personal business ambitions because he does what he likes and can make a living from it.
