As
our readers already know, Reflect project in Fushe Kruja started in October
2011 opening a centre for roma women and children where they could gather,
discuss, learn and participate in many psycho- social games. During the first
year of the project many roma men and boys came around and asked us “why don’t
you open a program for us too?”; “women don’t understand a thing, we can learn
faster”.
Roma
women who came at the project and enjoyed the program started saying “you can
open our eyes and sensitize us about our rights and possibilities, but how can
we fight for our rights if our men don’t support us? They don’t understand the
importance of women’s education so please do something so they can change their
way of thinking and support us”.
ADRA
staff felt responsible to continue its mission by reinforcing the project and
prolong it for other three years with the financial support of ADRA Austria and
Austrian Development Agency in Albania
“Literacy
and social skills for roma men, women and children in Fushe Kruja city” started
in October 2012 involving not only women and children but also all roma men and
boys who want to be part of the Reflect program: get together, discuss daily
issues and possible solutions, create group cohesion, learn how to read and
write by using practical tools and participate to many social activities. Since
the project started roma young boys were enthusiast to start learning; we could
feel their wish to be part of something bigger than their reality limited to
the roma neighborhood at the peripheral area of Fushe Kruja city.
They
finally had the chance to come out from the ghetto for another reason different
from work. We have organized many activities and they enjoyed very much being
in group and play with each other. Even though some of them are already
married, fathers at 17- 18 years old, they like to play, have fun with each
other and live their age because they haven’t had a normal adolescence.
Last
activity that we organized was a beach day together with 15 boys from the roma
community, our two facilitators Mira and Marsela and their teacher Redjan.
The
boys prepared the lunch, collected 300 lek each (2.50 euro) and bought food for
all of us. Marsela and Mira cooked with the help of two of the boys Visi and
Bledi, so everything was ready. They cooked stuffed pepperoni, byrek, tomatos,
olives and cheese. ADRA staff was invited to their prepared lunch so we brought
only something to drink.
We
met at Gjiri I Lalzit, a nice place where the sea is clean and there is a lot
of space to play. The boys were so happy; they were dancing, singing while we
were searching for a nice place where to put our umbrella.
As soon as we settled, they took
the ball and started playing football. This is their favorite game, even though
they have some problems managing their emotions. They get easily angry, yell at
each other like they are going to fight, show a little bit of violence, but at
the end, they always finish the game in peace. This is so strange, but also
interesting and admirable. They look after each other and feel part of a group
even though they have conflicts and sometimes they instantly become violent.
They
day at the beach is a great opportunity to talk a little bit about their daily
life in summer season. Ibrahim, 18 years old, father of a 1 year old boy, tells
us about his working experience in summer: “summer is a very hard working
period because of the good weather. You know what we do? We create a group of 5
or more boys and we put 5000 lek each (35 euro), we got to the shoes factories which
are located in Kruja and Lezha and we buy as much shoes as we can. There are
two kinds of shoes, the good ones that cost 700 lek per pair (5 euro) and the
bad ones which cost 300 lek (2.50 euro). They look like the original ones because
they have famous logos on them, adidas, nike, so we don’t find it hard to sell
them, especially at the beach. We go usually to Durres
or Saranda, where there are a lot of tourists from Kosovo and Macedonia Durres
There
are days that I am really lucky and I sell even 5 pairs of shoes, but in
general I sell 2 pairs. After I have sold them, I stop and I don’t work for the
rest of the day. I take a bath and then I come home. We spend 1.500 lek (13
euro) to buy food and the rest I put it aside so we have some money left. It is
hard to save money as I am the only one working at home and I have to maintain
my parents, my bride and my son. Anyway I don’t complain.”
After
Ibrahim has told his story we also have to ask him what about his work during
winter time, how does he earn his living during cold days? He smiles bitterly
and says that winter is a difficult period of the year. He has to work by
collecting metal scrub. I work by collecting different kinds of metals because
if I find some good metals I can sell them and earn good money to feed my family.
I travel around north of Albania, in the villages near Burrel, Dibra and go from
house to house to ask if they have metals to sell or give away. Sometimes I
find myself in these lost places where I have to sleep because I don’t have the
money to go back home everyday. I also have to sleep outside the car because
police doesn't let you sleep inside. So imagine how cold it is in December or
January up in the mountain areas. The good side of this work is that once you
have found a big amount of metal you can go and sell it earning a lot of money.
The best metals to sell are: aluminum (which I can sell for 5 euro per kilo)
and cooper (3 euro per kilo). The rest of the metals I collect are very cheap
(30 cent per kilo) so, I always try to find the precious two.”
Ibrahim
has a great sense of business, he knows how to buy and sell, he has self
confidence and all he cares about is his family. He wants to come to REFLECT
classes to learn how a budget functions and how he can improve his work by
getting some practical tools.
We
are touched by his story and by his will to improve his life and his way of
working. Ibrahim is only 18 years old but he already has a clear objective and
knows he has to work hard to realize it. He is a really good example for the
other young boys who listen to him carefully, looking at him with astonishment
and curiosity. Ibrahim will be with ADRA staff on September and we will have a
long way together to assist him while he is finding his own way to improve his
life.
The
day at the beach continued with games, activities and discussions. After a long
day under the sun, we found a shaded area and we had lunch.
Everything
was delicious and very well cooked. The day finished with some roma songs and
dances during our way back home.
