Category: Blog Organizations: Center for Counseling, Social Services and Research (SIT) , NGO Synergy Tags:
The most affected during the pandemic are endangered groups, especially those in rural and inaccessible areas. However, it is also possible to reach them and remind them that there is someone who takes care of them. In this case it was youth. From different communities, cities, regions, but with the same goal - providing support.
Who are these young people?
This time were the ones from two organizations - the Center for Counseling, Social Services and Research (SIT) from Pristina and the Youth Educational Club Sinergija from North Mitrovica.
Humanitarian packages were delivered to endangered families in four municipalities - Kamenica, Fushë Kosovë, South and North Mitrovica in the midst of the corona virus pandemic. This activity was funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), represented by the Swedish Embassy in Kosovo.
Education and motivation
How did they come up with this idea?
In the first part of the project, young people from four municipalities had a series of 10 individual educational workshops, with the aim of finding solutions to help vulnerable families from these municipalities.
"After the workshops, at joint meetings we discussed the list of families we are going to help, as well as the content of humanitarian packages. What is important is that all the ideas implemented originated from young people from these municipalities, as well as decisions related to the content of the packages. There were 80 families in four municipalities, 20 per municipality," explains the executive director of OEK Sinergija Miodrag Dančetović.
“The participants have been very motivated to participate in these meetings and have expressed their willingness to support us in any initiative that we have undertaken,” adds his colleague project officer at the SIT Adnan Retkoceri.
Miodrag Dančetović also emphasizes the great motivation seen during the activity. This was especially reflected in the fieldwork that followed. The task was for the young people to visit four municipalities and help the pre-selected families.
"During the joint field work, regardless of whether it was a Roma, Albanian or Serbian family, our volunteers were very motivated and eager to help," reminds Dančetović.
The common goal and benefit of the community
It was the field work that left a special impression among young volunteers, because they met directly with the most endangered ones. Families were in critical need of support. The selection of families was made after detailed planning and research.
"It was confirmed that the help came in the right hands, because they needed it the most during the pandemic period. The help consisted of two packages - one containing basic food, while the other was a hygienic package," adds Dančetović.
And while those who count successes will surely say that success is in the number of families helped and the others who scratch more, can add another added value- the joint work of young people.
Adnan believes that the support of young people was strong because the project was based on humanitarian actions. That this is the case, also confirms Miodrag, who believes that other civil activists should follow their example.
"The biggest impression, apart from the fact that we were able to help people who really needed that help, is certainly that when we successfully organized the last joint meeting after the project activities - everyone was 'warmed up' and under the impression of the implemented activities and expressed their desire to organize a series of similar activities as soon as possible. This gave us ‘the wind in our backs’ to continue our work in the same direction," he says, adding the fact that the project currently implemented is helping to a higher number of the families who need the support.
A simple formula
A common goal, plus benefit for the whole community, equal trust - would be the formula for the joint success of young people.
"I want to encourage young people to break down barriers between communities and to have as much cooperation as possible for the sake of the whole community where we live. Connection we have created is very important and the stronger this connection becomes the better it will be for all communities,” concludes Adnan.
