Highlights of our Education & Community Development work
We strongly believe that long-term change can only be brought about when community members themselves become agents of change. Likewise, the process of further democratization of public institutions can only be achieved through the commitment and active participation of public servants in this democratization.
In both arenas MWL actively works to empower individuals to become positive forces for change by providing civic, leadership and service-learning training. Conducting 15 training sessions for public servants, MWL was able to engage teachers, social workers, nurses, doctors and public administrators of benefit programmes. In total, 240 service providers received training from Mary Ward’s ASCs last year.
Additionally, MWL organized 36 training sessions designed to support youth civic engagement.
Service learning initiatives
We are undertaking further work to achieve lasting systemic change through a series of ‘service learning’ projects. Service learning is an approach which equips young individuals with essential interpersonal and civic skills through participation in training and real-word application. The following service-learning informed initiatives were designed and implemented by the youth clubs of Saranda, Delvina, Lezha, Mirdita and Tropoja during the course of 2021.
A Library for Delvina
Say NO to violence, say YES to sport in Lezha
Our School Environment in Saranda
Together let's give colours to the future in Rreshen
Career Education in Lezha
Environmental protection project in Lezha
Public Demonstrations
Both MWL Advice and Service Centres in Lezha and Rreshen have organized protest actions surrounding sexual abuse cases involving minors in Lezha and Mirdita. Three cases of abuse have recently come to light in Lezha alone. In general, school principals and teachers are hesitant to report suspected cases of abuse. Similarly, MWL staff have noticed a general reluctance among governmental institutions and NGOs to publicly engage and confront such crimes. The importance of communities being vocal in solidarity against abuse, and in demanding that the authorities take more action, cannot be understated.
St. Bakhita Day holds significant importance in the global fight against human
trafficking, being a strong reminder of the strength and courage of survivors of
modern slavery and human trafficking across the world.
On the 8th of February 2024, the URAT anti-trafficking Network in Albania came
together at Famullia e Shen Dominikut in Albania to honour St. Bakhita’s Day. Over
50 community members, youth, representatives from various religious
congregations and frontline anti-trafficking organisations participated in a diverse
interfaith programme, which aimed to raise awareness of human trafficking and give
more information to community members about its most recent evolving forms.
The story of St. Bakhita is one of triumph over hardships and continuous injustice.
St. Bakhita was a young woman from South Sudan, who endured the atrocities of
slavery before finding freedom and becoming a symbol of hope for victims of human
trafficking across the world. Her journey is a ray of light, guiding us as we seek to
break down the barriers and challenges in our fight against modern slavery and
human trafficking.
The event provided a forum to listen, dream and act, reflecting on this year’s theme
of the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking
honouring St. Bakhita Day. Participants engaged in meaningful discussions about
the realities of human trafficking and the importance of upholding human dignity.
Through the programme, participants reaffirmed their commitment to combating
human trafficking and supporting survivors.
The presence of community members, youth, frontline organisations, and religious
congregations was a testament to the widespread support for the cause. They all
united together with a shared purpose: to honour St. Bakhita, keep in our thoughts the hardships and challenges victims of human trafficking are faced with, and unite forces to fight against human trafficking. This unity of purpose was a driving force behind this event’s success.
Participating in the event provided valuable insights into the complexities of human
trafficking and the diverse approaches to combating it. Attendees gained a deeper
understanding of the root causes of trafficking and the importance of survivor–
centred interventions. The exchange of knowledge and experiences enriched
everyone’s understanding of the issue and highlighted the need for continued
learning and collaboration.
The event served as a powerful reminder of the importance of upholding human
dignity and solidarity with survivors. With ongoing collaboration and collective action,
we can build a future where victims and survivors are treated with dignity and respect to build hopeful futures.
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.