From London to Kosovo for the Welfare of Children with Disabilities
Date: 14/06/2024
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Visits to Kosovo during holidays have now become almost an annual tradition for Fatmire Halili Bunjaku, who lives in the United Kingdom, where her family migrated in the 90s.
Fatmire’s career in Britain developed in various fields, enabling her to gain extensive and diverse experience.
I have different experiences; I have worked in international private schools, public schools with children who have come from different countries. I have helped them integrate into the English system due to the language, to learn English.
says Fatmire.
Fatmire’s experiences also include working with children with disabilities, mentioning collaborations with Amnesty International and the National Autistic Society.
I was never engaged in Kosovo since I left in the 90s – this was the first program through which I contributed in my homeland”
Fatmire Halili Bunjaku
During the four-week engagement at HandiKOS, Fatmire made a significant contribution by informing and training parents and children with disabilities. She taught them new ways of treating cases and dealing with emotional problems. During this period, she trained 60-70 people.
“At HandiKOS, I initially worked with parents, teaching them stress management strategies and learning methods. I explained that early intervention in children is extremely important because the earlier the child is helped, the greater the success,” explains Fatmire.
Methods for understanding and managing emotions taught in the United Kingdom were one of the main lessons she transmitted to children with disabilities.
“In England, they use a method for understanding emotions with red and green colors, and based on those colors, children understand what feelings they have and then learn how to cope with the situation,” she emphasizes, adding that one of the most beautiful moments for her was the gratitude of the parents.
Fatmire Halili Bunjaku, a Kosovo diaspora expert, during a lecture at HandiKOS
However, Fatmire also talks about the other side of the coin, mentioning the lack of conditions faced by children with disabilities in Kosovo and cases of stigmatization by society and their own parents.
“Unfortunately, it is very painful that children are stigmatized, but I think it is very important to intervene as early as possible in children. If the child is helped in time, that child changes,” says Fatmire.
She points out that “Parents who have children with special needs have two paths: either accept and help them or always leave them dependent. I believe that every parent wants to make their child independent. The only way to achieve this is early intervention.”
By giving a part of herself to Kosovo, Fatmire has reached a new level of personal fulfillment and is happy about her contribution.
I am very happy to have had the opportunity to contribute in Kosovo, and I think there is a lot of potential for the diaspora to give back.
FATMIRE HALILI BUNJAKU
Fatmire’s message to other diaspora members is to try to contribute because there is a need. In this regard, she values her good experience: GERMIN supported me and gave me the opportunity to contribute, so whoever has the opportunity, it is good to come and contribute,” concludes Fatmire.
“The engagement of diaspora experts” is part of the Citizen Engagement Activity, implemented by the Kosovar Foundation for Civil Society (KCSF) in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Kosovo. GERMIN is a partner of KCSF in implementing this activity.
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OriginAL proudly announces the opening of applications for the 2025 cohorts. This exceptional educational and cultural program invites young Albanians aged 18 to 24 to embark on an enriching journey of discovery, connection, and personal growth.
Participants in OriginAL will engage in immersive experiences, exploring the cultural heritage, history, language, and traditions of Kosovo and Albania. The program aims to strengthen participants' sense of identity and deepen their understanding of their ancestral roots.
For the first time this year, OriginAL offers flexibility by allowing applicants to choose their preferred participation period. This innovation ensures that more young individuals can participate in this life-changing opportunity at a time that best suits their schedules.
Eligibility Criteria:
Must be of Albanian heritage.
Aged between 18 and 24 years.
Interest in cultural and historical exploration.
How to Apply:
To apply or to find out more about eligibility criteria and program details, please click the link below.
APPLY HERE
Date: 25/02/2025
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To read and download the full analysis, click HERE.
Date: 03/02/2025
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National and Cultural Identity of the Albanian Diaspora
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GERMIN has published a policy brief on the national and cultural identity of the Albanian diaspora, written by Dr. Klement R. Camaj. This brief highlights the importance of the Albanian language, government engagement with the diaspora, and the role of technology in strengthening cultural connections.
What does this brief cover?
🔹 The importance of preserving the Albanian language and the challenges the diaspora faces
🔹 Strategies for more effective cooperation between governments and the diaspora
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Read the full publication here.
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Success Story: Transforming Education Through Diaspora Mentorship
Empowering Educators with Cutting-Edge Technology
In a small corner of Kosovo, a remarkable partnership between a diaspora expert and a high school has reshaped the way education integrates with technology. Shkëlqim Sina, a Senior Software Engineer based in Germany, brought his global expertise to the "Peer-to-Peer Diaspora Mentorship" program. Through Germin's matching efforts, he collaborated with the teachers of “Lutfi Musiqi” High School in Vushtrri, Sector Workforce Innovation Grantee of the PSWD, to drive impactful change. Together, they embarked on a mission focused on developing a joint project to develop an application for registering students’ absences at the School.
The Challenge
Like many educational institutions in Kosovo, “Lutfi Musiqi” High School, faced challenges in adopting modern technological solutions to support their teaching and administrative tasks. Tracking student attendance was a cumbersome and time-consuming process, often prone to errors and inefficiencies. The school needed a practical, user-friendly digital solution that could be seamlessly integrated into their workflows.
The Solution
Over 12 intensive mentoring sessions spanning May to July 2024, Mr. Sina introduced the high school teachers to .NET Core Web API, Entity Framework Core, and essential software development practices. The mentorship program focused on a collaborative project: developing an application to track student attendance.
Guided by Mr. Sina's expertise, the teachers:
Designed and built a robust application leveraging SQL Server for efficient data storage.
Learned advanced coding practices, including API documentation using Swagger and testing with Postman.
Implemented secure authentication and role-based authorization to ensure data privacy.
Key Outcomes
The mentorship not only resulted in the successful development of the student attendance application but also equipped the teachers with the skills to sustain and expand their technological capabilities.
Teacher Fatime Azemi reflected on the experience:
"We have successfully developed a student attendance application aimed at evidencing the number of students’ absences during the school year. The mentorship increased our knowledge of using .NET Core Web API, and we greatly benefited from Mr. Sina's professional expertise and cooperative approach. We are optimistic about the potential for future collaboration and will soon start using the developed application."
Teacher Adil Jusufi highlighted the broader impact:
"This mentorship has provided us with technical and practical knowledge that will serve to advance our teaching methodology and improve communication with parents. This collaboration has been a big step towards improving education in our school."
The Impact
The collaboration demonstrated the transformative power of diaspora engagement in education. By bridging global expertise with local needs, the program not only addressed immediate challenges but also laid the groundwork for long-term improvement.
The mentorship program equipped the teachers of “Lutfi Musiqi” High School with the knowledge and skills needed to develop a digital solution for tracking student absences. As a result, they are now prepared to adapt and implement the project, marking a significant step toward modernizing administrative processes and embracing digital tools in education.
This success story underscores the profound impact of connecting local educators with global expertise, proving that mentorship can truly transform ideas into lasting impact.
This activity is implemented within the framework of the USAID Private Sector-led Workforce Development Activity financed by USAID and implemented by IREX and GERMIN.
