Albania has a long history of children being separated from their families due to economic hardship, obliging them to live in residential care facilities.
15-year-old Ilir was one such child, placed under residential care services in 2010 after the passing of his mother and his father’s inability to sufficiently provide for him. Today, he lives at the Zyber Hallulli Residential Institution in Tirana.
For Ilir, life at the institution often felt monotonous and dull. During the day, he would engage in some recreational activities with the facilitators, but nothing inspired him.
Unfortunately, the services at residential care institutions mainly focus on general physical care and do not provide a sufficient feeling of attachment, personalized care, and encouragement – all of which are vital for any child to fully and safely explore their interests and potential.
To address this issue, UNICEF has partnered with NISMA-ARSIS – a team of child protection specialists and psychologists – to work with children in institutions to assess their specific needs and help craft individualized developmental plans.
“Ilir avoided communication with others and was withdrawn…he did not talk to us much,” said Ana Makjo, Executive Director of NISMA. “It took us months to get to know him and learn about his life, his hobby love for music, and his many other dreams and hopes.”
While UNICEF and partners support the Government in the implementation of the National Plan on De-Institutionalization to gradually transform the existing institutional care into family type alternative childcare services, Ilir, and around 1,000 other children in institutions need immediate help now.
TUMO Tirana is a Center for Educational Technologies supported by Tirana Municipality and American Albanian Development Foundation (AADF). TUMO provides programs made up of self-learning activities, workshops, and project labs in around eight learning areas (programming, animation, game development, graphic design, filmmaking, robotics, music, 3D modeling).
With the support of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, Ilir and other boys and girls were able to enroll in TUMO and now participate in a variety of exciting and engaging programs. For the first time, their days are filled activity and fun. Over a one-year period, UNICEF will pay for twelve children residing in institutional care to attend the TUMO Center. Afterward, the AADF has pledged to support the children with dedicated scholarships to continue attending their favorite workshops and develop their skills in the chosen areas of interest.
“I like hip hop music and I used to record songs on my friend’s phones,” says Ilir. “At the TUMO center, I’m learning how to use professional equipment and the staff here helped me a lot.” Adding, “I hope one day I will be able to learn more about music, as I want to be a famous singer.”
The TUMO center has synthetized his dream into a new achievable vision, removing him from the constant state of apathy and doubt.
UNICEF will continue to support Ilir’s dream, and those of his friends, to attend centers like TUMO so that they can develop the creativity that is so important to children’s psychological and emotional well-being.
Now, they will have the opportunity to explore and advance new skills and talents and embrace innovation, art, and technology like their peers. Moreover, their experience will positively help to improve their social skills by introducing them to new contacts and youth networks, gradually empowering them towards independent living. Meanwhile, the long way, for full de-institutionalization of all children from residential care, is still ahead for Albania, but as we say at UNICEF – we are not here to give-up, we are here for every child.