Monthly Mobile Library for Albanian Children

Dear Supporter,

Spring has arrived and with it lovely warm weather and the opportunity to see the new growth on trees and in the fields.  The Mobile Library can now reach the most isolated villages cut off by snow during the winter.

I want to tell you about two of the children who are benefiting from the Mobile Library and its monthly services, Yulia and Beni.

Yulia is 10 years old and lives with her family in Zogaj.  Zogaj is a small village high up in the mountains bordering on Kosovo.  Apart from the homes, the school and the mines there is nothing else in the village.  Families in Zogaj are primarily employed in agriculture and in the chrome mines.  Yulia is one of a group of six girls who are from families whose lives are based on the Quran.  Before Yulia became a member of the library the only books she had to read was the Quran or stories related to the Quran.  Joining the Mobile Library has offered Yulia other books that she can choose from and which provide her with the opportunity to read about other children, where they live, what adventures they have and different lifestyles.  If the Mobile Library were not visiting each month Yulia's access to a range of books and games would cease.

Beni is 4 years old and is from a Roma family.  They live on the outskirts of Bajram Curri.  He has two older sisters who have never been to school and cannot read or write.  Even so, his sisters are regular visitors to the Mobile Library; they choose books with pictures in or books that have simple puzzles in so they can complete them.  Beni doesn't go to kindergarten, so he does not have the opportunity to learn to read, learn songs or play with other similar aged children.  Beni loves to draw, so the visits of the library are very important as he can have some paper or drawings, some pencils and spend his time drawing and colouring them in.  For Beni, if the Mobile Library stops visiting his Roma neighbourhood, he and his sisters will not have any opportunity to see or look at a book and he will not get to colour in the drawings he likes so very much. 

Although Yulia and Beni live in two very different communities in Tropojë Municipality, they both are living in poor environments.  The lack of amenities and resources for children to read, draw, play and socialise are all influencing their development.  The Mobile Library is needed to bridge some of the deficits in these areas.

The Mobile Library needs your support or it may be forced to reduce the number of visits it makes to each village.  Please donate to keep the library running every month!