They seem relaxed and cheerful—women enjoying coffee and cookies in the sun with Anila (in the red sweater). What you don’t see: These are the few carefree moments in their lives.
Anila has been working in NG’s social services department in Albania for nearly 24 years. She cares for people who are paralyzed or bedridden, as well as children with disabilities. She explains: “When I worked with these families, I sensed that the family members also needed help—the women and mothers were in very poor shape; they were exhausted, overwhelmed, and often at the end of their rope. That’s why, years ago, we started holding regular meetings in a small women’s group.” Meanwhile the work has grown. There are nine groups, each with about five women of various ages, all of whom are connected in some way to NG’s social and medical work—whether as mothers, relatives, clients, or patients.
For the women, these gatherings are more than just a coffee break. They often live in
great isolation. During a trip to Drilon, one woman burst into tears: she had never visited the
beautiful park, even though it’s only a 3 minutes drive from the city! Others had never been in the ancient village of Lin, Europe‘s oldest known lakeside settlement, right along lake Ohrid. That’s why the gatherings take place at different locations whenever possible—in a café, a park, or a small tourist attraction. For some of them, even a walk without their husband is not a given. With some husbands, Anila has to ask permission every time to pick up the women for the meeting. Nikoleta, head of NG‘s social and medical services, emphasizes: “It gives the women self-confidence and a sense of worth when they suddenly have something to share or can contribute to discussions on local issues. This elevates their status to a new level.” In conversations with the women, one important word keeps coming up: respect. The women feel seen and respected in a way they rarely do otherwise.
Anila says, “In the groups, we discuss the problems each woman faces—they’re often enormous. And we always read a passage from the Bible, talk about God, and pray. That’s the most important thing.”
Time and again, they experience wonderful acts of providece. A family with a disabled daughter had lost their home and were suddenly able to buy a small house at a bargain price. Or the mother whose son was found innocent and unexpectedly released from prison. For many, their financial hardship has slowly improved. Anila tells of several young women, all recently married, who shyly asked for prayer. Each one was experiencing severe domestic violence! Not long after, one after another, they reported: “Anila, things have gotten much better at home.”
The women sum it up: “We finally get out, do something, talk about our problems, our suffering, we pray together—and our stress disappears; it disappears completely!”
„Our programs are shaped by the needs“ is one of NG’s guiding principles. This is also true for this initiative. Born out of the needs of these women, we can achieve a great deal with only little funds. Thank you to everyone who participates through their donations, to support these women and their families even more effectively.