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A beating heart, a breathing life!

2025-10-14 22:32:00, Aktualitet CNA

UNICEF & SMILE.al Platform, together in the project of donating 10 incubators to several maternity hospitals in Albania.

In the first seconds of life, every tick, every breath, is a blessing. Many babies who are born prematurely and not only, those first seconds are precisely a battle for survival. An important and extraordinary UNICEF project, for these fragile lives, was initiated and realized through donors of the SMILE.al platform and its strategic partners. The purchase of incubators to improve healthcare for newborns in Albania is already a project that came to life thanks to human empathy and humanity. Those born with breathing problems will thus enjoy the opportunity for highly specialized treatment.

The donation map has been determined with the aim of having the widest possible distribution: 2 incubators & CPAP in the Tirana Koço Gliozheni maternity hospital and 2 other incubators in the “Queen Geraldine” maternity hospital. Meanwhile, part of this important project are also the cities of Elbasan, Fier and Peshkopia, respectively with 1 incubator for each city. The regional hospitals of Durrës, Librazhd and Puka were enabled to donate 1 incubator respectively for each hospital region.

A beating heart, a breathing life!

The equipment handover ceremony was attended by the Minister of Health and Social Protection, Ms. Evis Sala, UNICEF Albania representative Mr. Murat Sahin, Credins Foundation Director, Ms. Elvana Hana, as well as senior executives of Abi Bank and Credins bank in the status of partners and important contributors to the SMILE.al platform. In the presence of health personnel, Genci Hyska, director of the maternity hospital “Koço Gliozheni”, appreciated the importance of this important investment, emphasizing that the contribution of Albanians, private sector donors and the support of the Albanian government is essential. He cited that the initiator of this project, UNICEF, has played a major role in improving maternity services, especially in neonatology.

On the other hand, Mr. Murat Sahin, representative of UNICEF Albania, pointed out the importance of the private sector's engagement in social issues, citing: "When we started cooperating with the private sector last year and met with representatives of the SMILE.al platform and the Credins Foundation, we realized that this partnership could bring a real impact. Until then, we were working only with the government, but now we have joined forces to support 10 hospitals in the country". As a project of particular vital importance, it does not stop only at equipment, but also at providing technical assistance, developing standard protocols, and training medical staff to guarantee a higher level of services to infants in need.

Meanwhile, Ms. Elvana Hana, director of the Credins Foundation, warmly thanked all the donors who made this project possible, emphasizing: "I want to express special thanks for the main support provided by Credins bank and Abi Bank. On the other hand, I want to emphasize my special gratitude to 124 individuals who contributed through the online platform SMILE.al, who enabled the realization of the project."

For years, the SMILE.al platform has become a symbol of solidarity and social engagement in Albania. Known for realizing important causes that directly affect the lives of the local community, SMILE.al is not simply a donation platform, but a bridge of trust between individuals, businesses and public institutions, NGOs, etc. By turning real needs into concrete priorities, SMILE.al has continuously contributed not only to the sustainable development of the community, but also to the integration of marginalized groups.

With transparency, dedication and a clear vision, today this platform lists projects implemented with great success in many fields, such as: education, tourism, cultural heritage, art, sports, environment, technology, etc. Therefore, the support of the UNICEF project came with enthusiasm and the conviction that every breath of every baby is a sublime, deserved and vital right. /CNA