Caritas Shkodër helping the sick who cannot be treated in Albania
Among the most pressing social emergencies of the territory in which it works, Diocesan Caritas Shkodër has identified the serious situation of many patients, often children, suffering from severe illnesses that could not be treated in Albania because of the lack of suitable medical and surgical facilities.
Thanks to the awareness of many Italian institutions, a network of international cooperation was created with the aim of supporting the medical treatment of these patients, solely in specific cases of illnesses that cannot be treated in Albania and for which there was a hope of recovery if a suitable health facility abroad intervened.
The beginning was very difficult, but since September 2000 several Italian health facilities have offered their readiness to admit patients to hospital, within a clear policy of international cooperation promoted by the competent regional authorities. The procedures were also greatly eased by the presence of the Italian Consulate in Shkodër and by the cooperation maintained between the Consulate and Caritas.
A further link in this cooperation was formed by the Italian diocesan Caritas organisations and by the reception centres of religious institutes or voluntary associations, which guaranteed hospitality for the person accompanying the patient (the mother only) during the period outside hospital, including food, accommodation and any medical expenses.
From 2000 until now, through the mediation of Diocesan Caritas Shkodër-Pult alone, 848 sick people have been sent to Italy for treatment.
We stress that the credit for the very positive results of this humanitarian work belongs to all those involved, above all to the Italian institutions: public administrations, hospitals, religious bodies, the Italian diocesan Caritas organisations, and the many volunteers and Caritas workers in Shkodër and in Italy who work to provide this service as well as possible.
We also thank the Italian regions and hospitals, the Italian Embassy and Consulate in Tirana, and in particular the Consulate in Shkodër, together with the various reception centres in Italy, because they have helped us, and continue to help us, to save many human lives in a spirit of great international solidarity – a concrete sign of the deep friendship between the two peoples, Italy and Albania, and a concrete contribution to the promotion of human life, above all of the weakest part of Albanian society.
Bethany – a home for the poor
Funded by RENOVABIS
After the fall of the communist dictatorship, Albania was plunged into general chaos, especially in government. As everything got out of control, the consequences were serious: the destruction of plants, factories, farms and agricultural enterprises, and as a result the standard of living, instead of rising (with the privatisation of the economy), fell below the minimum level. This economic collapse made poverty extremely high in some families, especially among those caught up in the so-called “free movement of the population”.
These families came from various areas, above all from the mountains, and did not find in the city what they had hoped for (because the influx into the city was high); most of them remained unemployed and many of them also homeless. At present some of them live in rented houses and often cannot even pay the rent, and are therefore forced to look for the cheapest possible rented buildings, which may be entirely unfit for habitation. Many other families who have only one room and live in extremely difficult housing conditions are in the same situation.
We believe that helping these families is essential, because by giving them a hand to engage in daily life we help hope and confidence in the future to return to them, and above all we remind them that they too are part of a developed society and part of progress.
Beneficiaries:
Families who have come from the mountain areas and live in shacks or in difficult conditions
Families whose house has burnt down and who are unable to rebuild it with their own income
Families whose houses have collapsed because of age or natural disasters
Women with children who have been abandoned by their husbands and have no home of their own
The support consists of:
– Providing building materials; temporary payment of house rent; involving other local actors as well to contribute to helping the families mentioned above.
– The working network, made up of men and women religious and the parishes, takes on the task of verifying the cases and guaranteeing that the funds reach these families, according to the respective areas in which they operate.