Their eyes have lost their luster. And their vacant and distant stares are enough to melt even the coldest heart.

The people in Kosovo yearn for life’s most basic needs, silently crying for help from anyone who will hear them.

But their silent cry has not gone unnoticed. The Airmen, Soldiers, Marine and Sailors of the Kosovo Force are listening. They providing much-needed humanitarian aid to local families, like the Novo Brdo municipality.

Novo Brdo, with an estimated 400 inhabitants, is in southeastern Kosovo. The multi-ethnic village has been considered as one of the poorest in the area.

Steering the project in the Novo Brdo municipality is Army 1st Lt. Melanie Meyer. She is the public information liaison officer deployed from the 135th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment at Camp Dodge, Iowa. Although she inherited the project, she now calls it her own.

“Growing up, my parents always taught me the gift of giving. They were foster parents. So I remember many children coming to our home with absolutely nothing. I realized at an early age how lucky I was, and vowed I would always do whatever I could to help the less fortunate,” Lieutenant Meyer said.

Since taking over the project in February, the Americans have completed more than 10 missions within Novo Brdo. They work closely with the UN Military Mission in Kosovo and social welfare offices in the municipalities.

“We contact the social welfare office in each area and they give us the names of families with the most urgent need,” said Valentina Martinovic, the UN military mission’s administrative assistant for the Novo Brdo municipality. “We then visit the families and assess their needs.”

The cooperation between the UN and American KFOR volunteers has made a significant impact for the families. They conduct one mission each month, which supports as many as 50 families, touching between 300 and 350 people.

“This is a multi-ethnic project. I always work through the municipalities to ensure the donations are being distributed fairly to all ethnic groups. They provide me with a list of the most vulnerable families who need assistance,” the lieutenant said.

Nivechita Haran, the UN military mission’s Novo Brdo municipality representative, credits Lieutenant Meyer for making the project so successful.

“It is well organized and the people are very happy with the help. Many families come back to say thanks. It is very special for their children to receive much-needed items,” she said.

Donations consist of essential items like winter clothing, blankets, kitchen supplies and shoes. Toys are also donated.

Donations come from program supporters in the United States. Donations are sent the by servicemember’s families, friends, churches and more than 14 humanitarian organizations. They send between five and 10 boxes of supplies each week.

“It is truly beyond belief the way communities back home got together to help communities here. A lot of these people have nothing and would not be able to survive without some assistance,” the lieutenant said.

Coordinating a project of this magnitude is no small feat. It takes cooperation between UN and KFOR personnel, local municipalities and U.S. aid agencies.

But the reactions from the people getting the help are worth every challenge.

“I feel very passionate about this project. Coordinating these missions is a lot of work, but the reward of seeing the faces of the people light up is worth the effort,” Lieutenant Meyer said.

Air Force volunteer Maj. Kara Neuse, deployed from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, said  this is a fantastic way to express a different aspect of peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.

“It’s nice to see the smiles on the faces. Hopefully we’ve made a difference in the lives of the people of Novo Brdo. I just wish we could do more,” she said.

Master Sgt. Rene Wheeler, also from Ramstein, echoed a similar sentiment.

“It gave me a great feeling of achievement to see the smiles,” she said. “Unfortunately, there’s more work to be done”

There is still a lot to do. But each day the municipality inches closer towards self-sufficiency.

Ms. Haran said the United Nations will turn over responsibilities for coordinating humanitarian efforts to the Novo Brdo municipality social welfare office. It has performed well and is ready to take over, she said.

“I think Lieutenant Meyer and her team has done a fantastic job. Please continue, because you care about the people and this is very important to them,” Ms. Haran said.

The lieutenant has no plans of letting up.

“We plan to continue providing humanitarian aid in the Novo Brdo region for as long as we can,” Lieutenant Meyer said.