In a concerted effort to advance women's empowerment and combat social and economic disparities, the SHIS Association, in partnership with AVSI, has launched a transformative 12-month project titled "Promoting Women Empowerment in Albania through Job Orientation, Skills Enhancement, and Educational Support for Their Children."
The initiative seeks to open doors to social and economic opportunities for young women who are mothers of children attending the "Little Prince" community center in the Kombinat Area of Tirana, Albania. Confronted with social and economic challenges, these women are at the heart of the project's mission to elevate their economic and social conditions through a dual-pronged approach.
Key objectives:
- Enhancing economic and social conditions: the project aims to uplift 100 mothers by providing targeted soft skills training sessions and facilitating mentoring programs and interviews with public employment offices, local businesses, and vocational schools.
- Socio-educational support for children: a crucial component involves providing comprehensive socio-educational support for 215 children (aged 6–15) through pedagogical and socialization activities. This approach not only addresses learning difficulties but also improves knowledge and socialization skills.
The project's initiation involved an in-depth internal analysis conducted by AVSI and SHIS staff to identify participating mothers and children. Through a questionnaire, 100 vulnerable mothers have been selected, with a thorough assessment of their needs and identification of existing skills.
Based on the needs assessment findings, upcoming training sessions will focus on soft skills such as CV writing and job interview preparation. Concurrently, educational and social support activities for the children will persist, enabling them to cultivate essential skills for future employment.
The SHIS Association aims to create a positive change in these women and their children lives, with a primary emphasis on fostering economic independence and social integration. This project epitomizes a holistic and collaborative approach to addressing the complex challenges of disadvantaged communities.
Lumturia Myrto: "feeling a part of a community changed my life"
Lumturie Myrto is one of the mothers involved in the project, with a complicated economic condition, a complex family situation, and a son with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
"Life was a tough battle for my family, struggling to meet our basic needs - she remembers - The turning point came when my daughter Stela became involved in activities organized by SHIS staff. Over the past three years, these activities have played a crucial role in helping Stela integrate with her peers and not feel isolated.
What has significantly influenced me is the support that SHIS has provided for my 16-year-old autistic son. Financial constraints made it difficult for me to afford therapy sessions. With SHIS's intervention, I got to know the psychosocial staff of the administrative unit in the Kombinat area, where they provide continuous and free therapeutic sessions for my son. This has brought about a significant change in his well-being and development".
Thanks to the project Lumturie Myrto could help his son but also herself, thanks to the meetings with other mothers.
"The groups have been a moment where I have shared my concerns and have given me strength and support to be stronger in facing life's challenges. These meetings have also allowed me to gain new skills to work on myself and to be more able to face and provide help for my family".
The impact of the SHIS Association for me goes beyond individual transformations. It creates a sense of unity among mothers facing the same challenges and strong battles in life, just like myself. The ability to connect, exchange experiences, offer mutual support, and celebrate each other's successes has been a source of comfort and empowerment.
The project is funded by the club Inner wheel Riccione-Valconca Rosa Dei Malatesta which delivered the fund raised to AVSI on October 2023
