Get a Kosovan Kid to School

The light blue colored door lined with white walls can be seen instantly as you first enter the neighborhood. It is a cold bloomy day this February morning, but Muhamet, the only boy of the Buzolli family, is playing in the small yard of his house together with the daughter of his older sister. She is only 6 months old and they call her Ariana. He is a lively 10-year-old boy taller than the majority of his peers. Welcoming us wholeheartedly, he invites us to meet his mother, Vahide, and his two sisters, Nerxhivane and Shkurte. Xhejlane, the second daughter of the family, is at school.

Vahide is a 42-year-old woman, beaten by life. I notice her kindheartedness and love for her children from the first moments of encountering with her. She encourages Shkurta to talk to us while staying out in the cold without a coat on. "I'm Shkurta and I am 13 years old. Along with my brother, Muhamet, we attend the 5th grade in the elementary school”, explains Shkurta, resembling her mother in the warm and positive way of talking. "I like Math, calculations ... But when I grow up, I want to be a pediatrician." "Why a pediatrician?", I ask her. "Because I would love to work and take care of children." Shkurta’s motive for becoming a doctor in the future is related to the great desire of helping others, perhaps driven by the fact that her father passed away four years ago by not being able to receive the medical cure. His absence in the family is felt in each aspect of their lives.

At the Girls Club in our center in Fushe Kosove, Shkurta learns about the possibilities of education, lessons on health, hygiene, and sexual education. Mother Vahide highlights the contribution of The Ideas Partnership to her children's education. School transport, school materials, Saturday's Activities, various tours, greatly affect the educational development of her children, who did not have the equal financial opportunities as other children. I tell them that all these opportunities offered by TIP are made possible by many generous people around the world who make donations so children like hers get educated and have a better future. Their eyes shine. They know that there is someone out there who will not abandon them. And they do not know how to best express their gratitude to you who help them.

We greet each other warmly. The smile of the three gives me assurance that they will be fine. I very much hope so.

Their blue door closes behind us. And the rain begins to fall...

Approaching the street on a brisk November day, we were met by young boys excitedly playing football along the track in front of us. After battling past the intense game out came the cheerful and petite Igballe, a 63-year-old woman who has lived in Fushe Kosovë for over 35 years.

It was clear straight away that she shares a close bond with her grandson, Isuf, who was latched on to her as we introduced ourselves. Other children were also huddled around Igballe, showing her to be a loved, motherly figure in the community.

Speaking to Igballe we soon learnt that after the death of her son, his wife moved away which left her to look after and raise her 3 grandchildren alone. It’s hard to imagine this weight of responsibility being put upon a person after dramatically losing their son; showing her to be a very brave, caring and selfless individual.

Igballe went on to describe the difficulties she has faced raising the children in Fushe Kosovë. Firstly, they only have water access between 10am-12pm which explained the numerous amount of large water bottles lined up outside her doorstep. To add to this hardship, the water is often dirty and has led to over 700 children in the community, as well as her grandson Isuf, contracting measles in the last three months alone.

Igballe told of the struggles of being the sole guardian of the children, expressing that “she must do everything.” Before the help of The Ideas Partnership centre in Fushe Kosovë, Igballe was forced to pick rubbish and scrap metal and try to sell it to provide the children with minimum basic needs.

Continuing to discuss The Ideas Partnership, Igballe described how they’ve helped provide clothes, shoes and the school equipment necessary for the three children to start attending school. Furthermore, the charity also provided transport for Isuf to get to the hospital and the required medication needed to aid his recovery from measles.

When talking to Isuf, a cheerful but initially shy 9-year-old boy, we asked him what he enjoys most about attending classes at the centre. To which he replied, his love for Maths evolving from his weekly Maths classes. We then asked of his dreams and ambitions for the future, timid at first, he described that he always wants to be a hard worker. However, after more conversation he then told us that he would love to become a chef in the future.

Unfortunately, we were unable to speak to Igballe’s other grandchildren, Hastrete, age 12 and Igballe, age 7 because they were attending school, something they likely wouldn’t have been able to do without the help of The Ideas Partnership.

Conclusively, the girls strong attendance and dedication to school and Isuf’s high ambitions for the future, prove that The Ideas Partnership are continuing to teach children in the community that hard work and commitment to their education will enable them to thrive in the future.

Donating to this page will enable more families like Igballe’s to get the school equipment necessary to be accepted into main stream school. Over the last 2 weeks being in the Fushe Kosovë community we’ve understood that giving a child the opportunity to get an education is undoubtedly the best gift of all. So there is no question, donate and get a kid to school.