CROWN PRINCESS KATHERINE AND LIFELINE CHICAGO DELIVER MAJOR RENOVATION TO SREMČICA INSTITUTION $100,000 Grant from Tauck Transforms Essential Facilities for Women with Developmental Disabilities
Belgrade, September 4, 2026 – Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine visited the “Sremčica” Institution for Children and Youth to officially mark the completion of a major renovation project made possible through a generous $100,000 grant from Tauck in support of the humanitarian work of Lifeline Humanitarian Organization of Chicago.
Lifeline Chicago has operated for more than 30 years under the patronage of HRH Crown Princess Katherine, providing critical assistance to children, adults, families, hospitals, institutions, and vulnerable communities throughout Serbia and the region.
The Tauck grant funded the complete renovation of four large bathrooms and four toilet facilities in the Women’s Pavilion at Sremčica. These essential facilities had remained largely unchanged since the institution opened in 1969.
The extensive project included the removal of outdated fixtures and reconstruction of the spaces, installation of new plumbing and drainage systems, upgraded electrical systems and lighting, waterproofing, tiling, and new sanitary fixtures.
The completed renovation provided:
12 new shower cubicles
32 washbasins
8 WC units
16 new doors
8 new water heaters
4 wooden shelving units
Together, these improvements have transformed facilities used every day by the women who call Sremčica home, providing a safer, cleaner, more functional, and more dignified living environment.
“We are deeply grateful to Tauck for this extraordinary generosity and for recognizing that essential improvements can make a meaningful difference in people’s everyday lives,” said HRH Crown Princess Katherine.
“What may appear to be a simple improvement represents so much more to the residents of this institution—dignity, comfort, safety, and respect. We are very happy to see this important project completed and to know that it will benefit the young women who live here for many years to come.”
The partnership between Tauck and Lifeline Humanitarian Organization of Chicago reflects shared values of compassion, integrity, respect, and the belief that every person deserves to live with dignity and receive proper care. Through partnerships such as this, Lifeline continues its mission of providing practical assistance that directly improves the everyday lives of those most in need.
As Crown Princess Katherine has long emphasized, “There are no borders in suffering.”
Dr. Marina Vidojevic, head of the Sremčica Institution, expressed the gratitude of the institution’s residents and staff:
“On behalf of all the residents and staff of the Sremčica Institution for Children and Youth, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Tauck, Lifeline Humanitarian Organization of Chicago, and the Karađorđević family for their generous and continued support, which has made possible significant improvements to the living conditions of our residents.
“The renovated facilities represent an important step toward ensuring greater comfort, safety, and dignity for those who live in our institution. We deeply appreciate their many years of dedication, their willingness to recognize our needs, and their readiness to provide tangible support where it is needed most.”
This completed project is a powerful example of what can be accomplished when committed donors and humanitarian organizations work together to address fundamental needs. For the women of Sremčica, the renovation means far more than new bathrooms and fixtures—it means greater dignity, improved safety, and a better quality of daily life.
