A short visit to Albania showed us the lasting impact true holistic support can have on the lives of the most vulnerable.Â
Last week I had the privilege of joining our partner organisation, A2B Albania, to see some of the work they do first-hand.
Our visit took us from the Bread of Life centre in the middle of Elbasan, right out to the newest centre in Rrogozhine, a small town 40 minutes drive from Elbasan. We visited four different centres, as well as the homes of some of those supported through Family Link.
At every point we witnessed the team lifting dignity and restoring hope, whether through the simple action of a hug or smile, or delivering long-term, life-changing solutions through consistent accessible education to those who are otherwise excluded.
We saw so much, but for a snapshot of the holistic nature of A2B’s provision, I’ll focus on two Roma communities in Peqin & Rrogozhine.
The early years & community centre in Peqin has been at the heart of the community since 2015. Laughter greeted us on arrival as the children played outdoor games with a visiting team from a church in Germany. Inside the centre we chatted with mums from the local area whose lives have been impacted by this project. Here’s what they had to say:
Some of the families attending the centre are also supported through Family Link. Friday’s task was distributing essential food parcels to those most in need. Here in Peqin we began to grasp the breadth and depth of A2B’s holistic provision in action.
Grandma Agnesa met us at the door to her yard, full of love and thanks for Keta and the team at A2B. She was beaming, but life has not been easy for her. A2B first began supporting her several years ago when she cried out for help, desperate for milk for her baby grandson. Florian had been abandoned by his mother, leaving him with Agnesa, his father too mentally unwell to care for him alone. Without A2B’s support, Florian would not be the flourishing young boy he is today. Over the years, A2B have been able to support this family with food parcels, a listening ear, holistic education and a place to belong; reviving dignity and restoring hope. This is only part of the story however.
Once inside this clean, but desperately bare house, we met three teenage girls: more grandchildren. These girls and their brother had recently experienced the utter trauma of not only having their mother walk out on them, but their father (Agnesa’s other son) being diagnosed with cancer, now with days left to live. We met Tomor, lying on a bed inside the house, loved by his family who can do nothing but sit with him as he faces the end of his life. It was heartbreaking. There is no palliative care and treatment options are unaffordable. As a team, A2B will do their best to offer comfort and support through visits and food parcels, as well as offering the children hope for the future through after-school classes at the centre. The family have no way of sourcing an income. State support is almost non-existent. It is our hope that A2B will eventually be able to support the teenage girls through our House of Opportunity programme in Elbasan – we will stand with this family every step of the way, for as long as they need our help.
A short drive from Peqin, we found ourselves in Rrogozhine, site of our newest early years centre. The centre opened just five months ago and the difference between here & the community in Peqin was stark. Attendance at kindergarten is inconsistent, with only a few children in regular attendance – so far. Keta, A2B’s founder & director, tells us this is what it looked like in Peqin 9 years ago. We know that when families get the steady, caring support they need, it’s not just a short-term boost—it can change their lives for good, shaping the future for generations to come.
The crude shacks in front of this yellow house in Rrogozhine Roma
community are not sheds, they are homes.
The women told us they struggled to bring the children to the centre because they were dirty; they wash their children with cold water from a hose when they can. We saw this for ourselves a few minutes later. The Roma community in Rrogozhine are living in deep poverty. Many families live in leaking tin shacks, with no bathrooms, sometimes up to 10 people in just a few square feet of living space. Two children from one of these shacks are in hospital with pneumonia as a result of freezing conditions this past winter. Their basic needs are not being met; they don’t have hopes and dreams for the future, they simply want to survive today.
A2B is in it for the long haul—standing with this community, listening to them, backing them up, and fighting for what they need. Education is a game-changer when it comes to breaking the cycle of poverty, but it’s not the only piece of the puzzle. We’re here to help however we can, from making sure there’s food on the table at the centre to advocating for the provision of basic needs. Children who are cold, sick, and hungry won’t get far, no matter how great the lessons are.
Getting to see A2B’s life-changing work in person was invaluable. Meeting whole families who have been supported for many years by this incredible organisation and seeing the team in action was truly a privilege. We know there is hope for the future, we have seen the difference this organisation makes in the most desperate of circumstances and we will continue stand together to offer this hope to all who need it.
