What would it take to start a network for a country without orphans. This was the questions for a small team of Albanians and people who have lived and worked there for a long time. Together with a team from WWO Europe they started to plan, contact people and book a place, then it was time to act and look what happened:
- Seeing a national movement launched with 40 people gathered over three days
- People moving from interested to committed
- Strengthening relationships between civic authorities and people of faith with shared vision for children to be cared for in families
- Celebration of what is already being done by NGOs, churches, individuals and official bodies across Albania
- Identification of priorities for action
- Agreement to continue to build movement together an increase collaboration between churches, NGOs and the state to strengthen families and intervene for the orphaned child
The Background
The three members of the European WWO Facilitation team and 6 people from Albania who had met over zoom for several month in order to prepare the three days meet from November 11th to 14th, together with about 20 to 30 people in Tirana, Albania. The reason for the gathering was our Thrive Pilot Project. Thrive is part of a strategy, which we are developing as a WWO Europe facilitation team, together with locals, to help countries start their own 'Country without Orphans' initiative. Thrive is the second step in this process, after initial meetings, where as a team we will get to know interested people from a new country in Europe and will meet them for a first time for a round-table in their country.
Almost two years ago, just before the lockdowns in many countries, we had a round-table in Zagreb for people from South East Europe interested in WWO. From there on the people in Albania started to meet, form a team and registered Albania without Orphans (AWO) and created a website.
The Thrive Event
With this in place and with our meetings as a facilitation team and an AWO team, we planned these three days. The AWO team had invited many people who were in one way or other already involved in care for orphans and vulnerable children, including some people from the government, to join us for these days. Throughout the three days at least 30 people were present for a day, a few hours or the whole three days. The first day we were laying the ground, talked about the vision of WWO, the Roadmap, the reason why we needed to reach the children and the needs and challenges those children faced. For most of the time we had a chair in the middle of the room, to remind us of the word of Jesus, who put a child in the midst and showed his disciples the importance he himself gave to children.
Day two we were meeting in different groups, trying to map out as much as possible, where children and families in need lived in Albania and where outreaches to them already happened, either through community outreaches, family help or alternative care for orphaned children, including care in orphanages. We realized, that the needs of the children and the needs of the people caring for them were still great and that training for people involved with children as well as help and encouragement for 'Living refreshed' or self-care for them are greatly desired.
On day three we looked back and then it was time for the Albanian team to take over and present possibilities to continue to connect and learn together to build up AWO.
Looking Forward
When we met again on Sunday, tired but content about what had happened in the past three days and hearing from people how excited they were to be part of it, we knew, that our pilot project for Thrive in one country had been successful and that it could be replicated in other countries.
30 Years of Freedom
As a special treat were able to participate in a church service on Sunday, organized by VUSH, the Albanian Evangelical Alliance, on the main square in Tirana, the place where 30 years ago the statue of Enver Hoxha had been removed, when people rebelled against the totalitarian regime and installed a democratic government, allowing religious expressions again after years of persecution. To stand in the square together with our Albanian brothers and sisters, celebrating 30 years of evangelical church and freedom was definitely a special ending to our 4 days in Tirana.