Support for families in need living in the deep mountainous areas in the North of Albania

2024-05-10 20:07:59, Kosova & Bota CNA

Support for families in need living in the deep mountainous areas in the North

The group of volunteers of the association "The Door-Albania" together with the young people of the industrial school of Shkodra traveled on foot to the village of Logj, in Prekal, due to the lack of an automobile road, which has made the life of some even more difficult dozens of families who continue to live in this deep area of ??Dukagjin.

The volunteers have been united by the "Using the Sun" program, through which it is intended that families in need, who due to poverty cannot pay for electricity, will be supported with solar panels, food aid and the repair of some of the houses that are outside living conditions, Kastriot Faci, who heads the association "The Door-Albania", tells VOA

"We are in the village of Prekal, we are with two families that are benefiting from the "Use the Sun" program. It is a new initiative, which aims to support some families living in rural areas, far from urban centers, but also people living in families with people with different abilities as well as young people who are involved in the field of tourism. There are 188 solar panels, which are a gift from the Norwegian company "Bright" and which came through the organization "Norwegian Aid" for the association "The Door" in Shkodra", he says.

In Zef Marash's family, volunteers distribute food aid and work on the installation of solar panels, which will provide the family with energy for lighting and reduce the costs of the monthly electricity bill.

Zefi's family consists of 11 members. A few years ago, his house was destroyed by the flooding of mountain streams and the family was forced to take shelter, in extremely difficult conditions, in one of the cattle stables of the former agricultural cooperative.

Zefi's wife, Marija, says that, due to difficult living conditions, some families in the area have left for the city or emigrated. She tells about the conditions in which she lives with her children, as well as the many difficulties she faces every day.

The family members of Zefi's brother also live in the same almost destroyed building. For them, the volunteers of "The Door-Albania" have enabled the construction of an additional floor, but even here the living conditions are difficult.

A report of the People's Advocate for 2023, based on the figures produced by the Institute of Statistics, shows that almost 1/3 of the population in Albania lives in very difficult economic conditions, while social support schemes should target families better In need.

The young Armando Lleshaj, together with a group of students from the industrial school of Shkodra, has become part of the "Using the Sun" program. Together with other volunteers of the association, they have traveled to the villages of the mountainous area of ??Shkodra, Puka and Malësë i Madhe, installing solar panels, which provide free lighting to poor families.

"I am a student in the second year of electrical engineering. Together with my friends, we serve voluntarily in the organization "The Door" and work on the assembly of solar panels and the solar system. This professional practice that we develop here helps us to gain new knowledge, to meet new people and to serve this community", he says.

The mountainous areas in the North of Albania reveal many natural beauties, but also difficulties for the living of the inhabitants, who, due to the high level of poverty and difficult living conditions, continue to leave for urban centers or emigrate./ REL