For twelve months, she implemented development projects that give Albanian children from excluded communities an education and thus a chance for a better life. Development volunteer - Veronika Zimová told more about her experiences from her one-year stay in Albania.

She had a plan in her head for a long time - to work in the field of humanitarian and development cooperation in the future. Therefore, for Veronika, volunteering was a logical intermediate step between university and field work in the so-called developing world. After studying international relations, she responded to current calls for volunteer positions from the organization ADRA Slovakia. A successful interview was followed by a mandatory internship in the Bratislava office of the broadcasting organization, pre-departure training and familiarization with the expectations and tasks of the visiting ADRA Albania.

Pohľad do vnútrozemia Albánska

Working with children in an excluded community

Since Veronika is neither a teacher nor a psychologist, she was not qualified to work directly with local children. As she herself states: "I work more for the community than with the community. I ensure the administration and implementation of project activities. However, this does not mean that I do not go into the field. However, it would be difficult for me to capture the reality that is decisive in this work from behind the office desk."

That's why he tries to go out with his colleagues even directly after the children. ADRA Albania implements several projects in the Kruja region north of Tirana, the common denominator of which are tutoring classes for children with learning disabilities, especially from socially disadvantaged families. Tutoring takes place at partner schools, but also at the community center near the Roma settlement in Fushe-Kruje.

"For children to complete schooling, supplementary education alone is not enough. That is why ADRA Albania also works with parents, especially in the field of awareness, prevention and positive education. In the case of Roma, whose culture often does not emphasize the need for education enough, the problem is the low number of children registered in schools, irregular attendance and neglected education up to various forms of abuse. And that is also why we work closely with social workers and with teachers - either in practice or as part of building their capacities in the field of education, human rights or social protection of children," recalls a Slovak volunteer who has been working in Albania for a year.

Recently, Veronika's host organization ADRA Albania completed an important project 'Integration after migration', concerning people who returned to Albania with their families from Germany. Since most of the so-called returnees (from English 'Returnees') consists of unsuccessful asylum seekers of Roma origin, Veronika is often asked if and how the integration of Roma into mainstream society is possible and why they leave their homeland. But she does not dare to answer this difficult question herself. However, he adds that such reintegration and education projects make sense: "Social change for the better does not happen overnight, but step by step. We always try to involve the relevant public authorities as much as possible in the projects, as well as the general public. We consider it a success that the teachers at the schools in which we operate have started to seat Roma children in the front desks together with others instead of sitting somewhere in the back Or the fact that a social worker visits the Roma community with us for the purpose of monitoring possible neglect of parental duties, violence against women or children."

Veronika Zimová offers as a positive example from practice (a so-called 'success story' directly from the field) the activity of the young people themselves: "I am pleased with the formation of youth volunteer groups directly at schools, which themselves come forward with ideas for improving their surroundings - from the sale of self-made trinkets for the purpose of improving the school library, to visiting a children's home, to demanding the establishment of a pedestrian crossing in front of the school with representatives of the local authority. The success of the project lies in the fact that they are completely self-sufficient and all ideas come from their heads."

Safety and Hospitality in Albania

Whether in the capital Tirana or on the roads across Albania, she never once felt threatened by anyone or anything. The fact that Albania is a dangerous country is more like a sad stereotype that is passed down. She saw it immediately in the reaction of the people around her when she announced to them that she was moving to Albania for a year. However, she fell in love with this wonderful country and is working on the translation of a small collection of Albanian legends.

In terms of culture and nature, according to the Slovak volunteer, Albania really has a lot to offer: "In the popular cities and especially on the coast, tourism is very developed, including the necessary infrastructure. The reality inland is completely different, but the 'wilderness' of the Albanian valleys and mountains is all the more attractive. There is no need to be afraid of wild animals (except for the so-called Cursed Mountains in the north, where bears are also found), the only wild animal, on which I came across in the woods was a turtle..." Veronika adds one more interesting fact - one of the last wild rivers in Europe - the Vjosa - flows through Albania.

When it comes to hospitality, Albanians raise it to a whole new level. The comfort and safety of the guest in the house, or a foreigner in their country is a matter of honor and dignity for them. Exactly as the Albanian social code has been preaching for centuries. A je to cítiť.

"Since Christians and Muslims have been living there peacefully and together for years (plus mixed marriages are quite common), for example, Christmas there looks different in every family. But just like here, Christmas is about the frantic pursuit of presents, Christmas punch and most of all about family. Tirana is absolutely beautiful at Christmas, even government buildings can't avoid Christmas decorations with lights," adds Veronika Zimová with a smile.

Personal growth thanks to volunteering

The work in the Albanian ADRA team was very dynamic, plus everyone followed the rule: "more heads - more brains". So, as a volunteer, but at the same time a full member of the team, she participated in the creation and implementation of several projects. Plus, she also tried preparing an evaluation questionnaire, creating a website or designing a brochure.

Veronika learned many new skills during the past year in Albania. On the professional side, it was mainly about writing projects: "I see a difference in the project I wrote in February (after arriving at the Albanian ADRA from Slovakia) and in what I wrote before leaving. I feel an improving tendency, although there is always room for improvement."

But the biggest challenge for her was working with social networks, which she always resisted. Here, however, it was a mandatory ride (within the visibility of local projects, raising awareness of the issue, as well as updates and reports from her stay), so she learned to use Facebook and Instagram to inform about her activities. "I also learned to better perceive body language, since I did not understand the language and non-verbal communication is very important in everyday communication. And since I lived abroad completely alone for the first time, I discovered that I am quite a capable homemaker...," the Slovak volunteer proudly admits.

When she returns to Slovakia, she would like to stay in the non-governmental sector, as development cooperation and humanitarian aid still remain her dream and long-term plan.

In addition to development, humanitarian volunteering has also been added

ADRA Slovakia has the advantage of knowledge of the domestic environment, not only thanks to the excellent cooperation with ADRA Albania, but also due to the continuity of sending volunteers to verified and certified organizations. Plus, every volunteer stay is preceded by a mandatory two-month internship in the Bratislava office. It is also important to correctly define your personal goal and motivation - to know: what to expect from life and work in a given country.

Veronika would definitely recommend such development volunteering to her peers, because "living and working in a foreign country is an incredible source of self-knowledge, it broadens our horizons and teaches us to be more understanding, more tolerant. One should not be afraid and should be open to the given country, its people and their culture. Only then can we learn something from them and vice versa: they, in turn, about us. It's always a mutual interaction." (action - reaction) and respect. Those who do not travel will not fully experience something like this at home."

In Slovakia, there are more and more offers for similar trips for volunteering. Slovak ADRA not only sends development volunteers to Albania with the support of SlovakAid (a program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic), but recently the preparation and sending of humanitarian volunteers has also been added thanks to the EU Aid volunteers initiative. "This is a huge chance in terms of the personal growth of individuals, but also concrete help to the needy. You should definitely try it," Veronika concludes encouragingly.

Text: Boba Markovič Baluchová Photo: Archive of Veronika Zimová www.adra.sk