A month ago we had the opportunity to talk on a morning show on ALSAT about the Reflect project in Fushë Kruja. Marsela, one of our facilitators and best students, was invited as a special witness of the Reflect school and shared her wonderful experience live on TV!
At the beginning Marsela hesitated because it is not so easy for Roma women in general to go out of their neighborhood, especially when they have to go alone and not accompanied by a male member of the family. She was excited about the idea of going to Tirana and to live such a special day, but she was afraid her husband and father wouldn’t allow her to go. After a week of negotiations, explanations and ADRA Albania's intervention, Marsela got the permission from her father and her husband and she began preparing a speech that will honor her family and her community on albanian television.
The day of the transmission Marsela surprised us all! She was wearing a suit, brand new shoes and she went to the hairdresser. She looked amazing and it made us all happy to see her being so confident and so eager to give her speech on television!
The transmission went very well, everybody was happy and we congratulated Marsela for her presentation of the project. But then, she confessed us that it had not been easy at all to come that day to Tirana. She had the permission of her family to go, but when she mentioned that she had to spend all her money on boots, because she didn't have any pair of shoes, the reality of Roma communities in Albania catches you up ... It is just shoes. This girl was so proud to have this chance of representing the other women of her community, to speak about the progress they make in class and the importance of this literacy project... that she decided to spend all her money, the rest of it on shoes! If this is not strong will, what is it then? These women amaze us every day with such stories and for their strong belief in the opportunities this project will bring them. And we hope to fulfill their expectations!
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