Milica from Gornji Milanovac raised 50 children

Milica Spasojević from the Serbian village of Brđani raised her three children and 50 abandoned children. Even when she was a young mother of two daughters, the Center for Social Work from Gornji Milanovac brought her a few-month-old baby, writes b92.

"That was Dragan who was later adopted by a married couple from Novi Sad," recalls Milica Spasojević.

Since 1963, the Spasojević family adopted and raised abandoned children. Milica and her husband Filip provided more than 50 children with love and a home.

"There were years when, in addition to my three, I had ten little ones at once. There were diapers, school bags, books and balls all over the house," says 74-year-old Milica.

The most difficult moments were always when it was time for one of the children to go up for adoption. Although she knew that they would be better there, Milica always found it difficult to say goodbye to her little ones.

"Everyone called me mom - and they still call me that today. They are everywhere - from Belgrade and Novi Sad to Sweden and Greece. Today, they are family people who already have their own children," says Milica Spasojević.

For more than 40 years of their work with children, they allegedly received nothing from the state except thank-you notes, but regardless, they are still satisfied because, as they say, nothing can replace the love that their 'army of children' gives them.