Give Albanian children a chance at education

My name is Liljana Luani. I'm a teacher in the city of Shkodra in Albania. My voluntary mission for nearly 20 years has been to provide education to children affected by blood feuds, and to care for families affected by this issue.

You can find more about what I do in the video (children's faces are blurred for their safety).

Blood feuds are a serious problem in Albania. A fragile democracy and a broken justice system have made people in Albania, especially in the mountainous areas, refer to customary law codes in order to take matters into their own hands to resolve conflicts. Blood feuds have unfortunately increased in recent years, and they affect both women and children directly. Families involved in blood feuds live in very difficult conditions because it is impossible for them to work and make a living. This is because leaving the house can be extremely dangerous. Consequently, children in these families cannot attend school and get an education to prepare them for their adult lives.

As a result, I have tried to make a voluntary contribution to the education of children whose families are undergoing blood feud conflicts. In hopes to avoid passing this cultural code of revenge on to younger generations, I help families, especially mothers, with employment and integration, as I believe that mothers have a huge impact on teaching their children tolerance, forgiveness, and trust in the justice system.

In 2017 we have carried out a study on blood feuds in 6 districts of the country. This was done with the support of OSHEE, the state police and the local government. We identified that the issue has spread to the districts of Kukes, Diber, Shkoder, Lezhe, Tirana, and Durres, and continues to grow.

Once we completed the study, we set up a working group with a few teachers, a psychologist, and a career educator. We built a modest center for families affected by blood feuds. This is a safe haven for people at risk, where we provide activities that allow children to be children, have fun, and learn. We also do home-teaching for families in dangerous situations, and provide online teaching. When students finish their final year, we accompany them to take the graduation exams at the respective schools in their villages.

We fight hard for the education of these children with the hope that they can get a sense of normality, and when they get out of the situation they are in, they can have a chance at life. One of my dreams is to set up professional training courses for specific trades. This is so that young people can be qualified to run small businesses in their areas and contribute to the growth of the economy and society. Once I achieve this, I will have fulfilled my mission, and these children will grow to be educated people and break generational patterns.

We are requesting donations to support:

- Hygienic supplies for families (soap, shampoo, toilet paper, washing powder).

- Clothes and toys for 60 children at risk of current blood feuds.

- Car fuel to support home teaching situations.

- Festive packages for 40 families (food, drinks, fruits).

- Organizing a holiday party for the mothers and children at the center.

If you want to sponsor a child this holiday season, you can send clothes and toys to our center:

Rom Kola

Street: Kole Heqimi, 35

Shkoder, Albania

We are not an organization, just a group of voluntary teachers that dream of a peaceful Albania, where all children have access to quality education. Please help us achieve this dream.

Thank you for all your support.

With respect,

Liljana Luani.

We are not an organization, just a group of voluntary teachers that dream of a peaceful Albania, where all children have access to quality education. Please help us achieve this dream.

Thank you for your support and everything.

With respect,

Liljana Luani.