“The most precious thing we must not lose is love for each other"
As gnawing as it is, sometimes hunger is not the most difficult problem families face in Albania. Even worse than being hungry is the feeling of being hopeless.
Not long ago I visited a village where World Vision had recently started child sponsorship programing. The village is just a 30-minute drive from the city but it has a reputation. Problems “out there” say the people in the city “are too many to count.”
Hidden hunger
As we approached a house, the voices of three children quickly captured our attention. Their cheery voices beckoned me to come close and join their dance. Elidona, 9 years old sings a beautiful melody, while her older brother, Mysli, 6, and young sister, Elda, 4, dance along.
It isn’t until later that we learn that Mysli dances even though he can’t hear the music. In fact, he can’t hear anything.
Despite being deaf, Mysli is a happy child. No one really knows what happened. He could have been born deaf. Or, as his mother, Florina, hypothesis, it could be the result of a high fever when he was only one.
His lack of hearing is a mystery; one the family, because of their circumstances, has come to accept. “I have never taken him to the doctor,” says Florina. “I don’t know for sure how big his problem might be, but I can’t afford the prices of health care or the prices of buying medications if necessary.”
Widespread need
Most people who live in rural villages in Albania don’t take their children to see the doctor for regular health check-ups. Culturally, people are expected to stay home and “wait it out” unless it is an emergency. Practically, however, most people simply can’t afford medical attention.
To make matters worse, especially for kids like Mysli, children and adults with disabilities are often looked upon with shame and hidden from sight.
Tough choices
It’s not that Florina would not like to take Mysli and her other children to the doctor, she simply can’t afford it. Many days she can’t even feed them. “Usually, I don’t have enough to cook for my children,” she says. The whole family, three adults and three children, survives on the $25 disability allowance her husband receives from the government for his mental problems--a problem that keeps him from finding steady work and supporting his family.
As Mysli grows his struggles will likely grow too. Children who innocently play with him now will see him as “different” and like many people who live with disabilities, he will be disappear from public view.
Finding hope
Recently, both Mysli and Elidona were registered in the World Vision child sponsorship program. They have already participated in several activities and their received package of food and clothes during last winter’s storm by World Vision.
Planting change
In addition to meeting the immediate physical needs of this community and others across Albania, World Vision is also working to educate parents and community members about important issues, such as the importance of education and health for all children and the need to create an inclusive community.
“We are intentional that children with different abilities get involved in activities,” says Gentiana Belilaj the program manager. “They are on the [heart] of our programs.”