Letter to friends
Dear Sir or Madam, dear friends,
The political situation
Nothing new in the north. It has become quiet. Kosovo Albanians go to the north for coffee, while Kosovo Serbs cross the bridge to South Mitrovica for shopping and to visit restaurants and cafés. Kosovo Albanian businessmen have now opened shops/restaurants in North Mitrovica.
Cross-border traffic is also running smoothly and normally. Although there is currently a travel advisory for the municipalities of Zubin Potok, Zveçan, Leposaviq, and North Mitrovica, the security situation in South Mitrovica is excellent. It may surprise many, but in South Mitrovica, both the actual and perceived security situation (street crime, harassment, attacks on foreigners) is better than in some large cities in Germany.
There are constant traffic controls in the cities and on the main routes. For example, on the Mitrovica – Pristina (capital) route, about 40 km long, there are 3 to 4 checkpoints daily, both during the day and at night. In Mitrovica, there are also KFOR soldiers stationed 24/7 at the main bridge between the south and the north. This also increases the security situation. We also experience this in smaller areas. Serbian course participants (therapy training) are happy to come to the south again, and Serbian youth come to the youth center.
The Diakonie Training Center (DTC)
On 16.09.24, our new courses started. Currently, we have 79 students, including those in the training for assistant cooks. As I have mentioned several times, due to the significant emigration to Germany, all schools and training institutions are seeing lower student numbers. However, we notice how well teachers and students can work with smaller classes.
We have now started collaborating with the Roma and Ashkali Documentation Center (RADC). The director, Mr. Dritan Shaipi, has visited us several times, and now 15 members of minority groups are coming to train with us. Trained members of minorities in Kosovo have good chances in the labor market. Especially women who have their own income do not have to endure abusive relationships. They have the opportunity to support themselves and their children.
in the training to become a tailor
The kindergarten
It started 9 years ago with one child (my daughter). Now we have 90 children and a waiting list with the names of 16 parents. It is a joy to see the little ones on the long rope, walking from the kindergarten to the playground.
It was a tremendous effort. The new kindergarten building was completed on 18.10.2024. Our teacher and their students worked hard and for a long time under real training conditions.
On 19.10.2024, we inaugurated the new building with approximately 300 guests, the dance group Shqipet e vogla (The Little Eagles), and a fashion show. Two children from our kindergarten cut the red ribbon.
On 19.10.2024, we inaugurated the new building with approximately 300 guests, the dance group Shqipet e vogla (The Little Eagles), and a fashion show. Two children from our kindergarten cut the red ribbon.
The managing director of the local Diakonie in Trier, Mr. Carsten Stumpenhorst, was present, as well as Ms. Silke Schaum, a member of the church council from the Wadern-Losheim parish.
Students from both classes for seamstresses designed their dream dresses, made the patterns, and sewed the dresses themselves. They also presented them themselves and were then allowed to take them home.
Mr. General Christian Nawrat and some of his staff from the NALT team (NATO Advisory and Liaison Team) were guests. General Nawrat is currently helping us apply for a donation of €10,000.00 from the “Lachen-Helfen” association, which includes active and retired soldiers. We are very grateful for this support and assistance.
We had to apply for a new license for the kindergarten with the Ministry of Education and are now waiting for the commission to assess the building.
The Psychosocial Center for Trauma Therapy
The psychosocial center, with its 5 locations (South Mitrovica, North Mitrovica (Serbian language), Prizren, and Fushë Kosova), offers daily therapy, group, and training programs throughout the year. In December, we will once again complete a three-year training program for trauma therapists. For the first time, the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) will have 5 trauma therapists who were trained by us.
In October, we learned that our main supporter, the Foreign Office in Berlin, will end its support by 31.12.24. Unfortunately, no further funding is possible, as only project funding will be provided, not institutional funding. This has plunged us into a serious crisis. We brainstormed, discussed, and searched for solutions together. Fortunately, Brot für die Welt (Berlin) has agreed to approve partial funding for 3 years. We are currently in the application phase.
For the branch in Fushë Kosova (also called the district office) and the important work with Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptians, we have submitted a funding application to the regional church of the Rhineland with a partner church in Wadern-Losheim (Saarland).
However, we will have to close our counseling center in Prizren, as the funds are insufficient. We also had a very positive meeting with the Minister of Justice, Albulena Haxhiu, who is currently supporting us and has promised further assistance for the next year.
In the first months of the coming year, a decision will be made about how and whether we can continue.
Fushë Kosova
The counseling center is part of the psychosocial center for trauma therapy, but I want to highlight it here because of its uniqueness.
We have signed a contract for the house we want to renovate and made a down payment. However, now that we need to go to a notary, none of them are willing to assist us. There are only three notaries in Fushë Kosova, and according to the law, we cannot hire one from outside. The three notaries have no experience with property purchases by NGOs, and they are unwilling to educate themselves and avoid the extra work. Now, we may need to involve the notary chamber.
Unfortunately, we have not yet raised the full purchase amount. We are still missing about 15,000€.
Please help us if it is possible for you.
Return and Reintegration counseling
Since 2007, an important area of work has been the return counselling for Kosovars who were in Germany. We have a project supported by the Regional Church of the Rhineland, the Lennep Church District, and the Hilgen-Neuenhaus/Burscheid parish.
For the past 5 years, we have also had a cooperation with the Bavarian State Office for Asylum and Repatriation (LFAR) in connection with the Diakonisches Werk in Trier.
This year, we applied to the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF). Applications for this EU fund are submitted to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) in Nuremberg. Our latest version has now been submitted and is undergoing further review in Brussels (EU). The Bavarian State Office for Asylum and Repatriation supports our work and will continue to do so for the next 3 years.
We advise, accompany, and support returnees with all necessary and possible assistance. First contact at the airport, food and hygiene packages, medical aid, stoves, ovens, electrical appliances, firewood, psychosocial counselling, therapy, training… With all our help and services, we are active throughout Kosovo. We thank LFAR and Diakonie for the excellent cooperation for the benefit of the returnees.
Returbees of the Bavarian State Office for Asylum and
Repatriation, with Carsten Stumpenhorst, the managing
Director of Diakonie Trier during a visit to returnees.
The youth center
We have become a second home for many children and young people. They come (especially Roma, Ashkali, Egyptians) from very precarious living conditions. Often, families lack everything: money, good food, hygiene products, clothes. In addition, there is domestic violence, which particularly affects women and children.
Some of our young visitors beg throughout the day to support their families. Here, they find good care, love, and appreciation. We provide them with food and clothing, and they can play and laugh—everything that is often missing at home.
Youth, sports, and culture, Mr. Fahir Jashari
Visited the training kitchen
We have been trying for 11 years (Yes, you read that correctly!) to get funding from the city administration for the ongoing work of the youth center. We negotiate and negotiate. Recently, the German Ambassador, Mr. Jörn Rohde, and I were at the mayor’s office. He definitively promised us support. It seems there are still signs and wonders!
We are very proud of the dance group “Shqipet e vogla” (Little Eagles), who regularly practice with us and make our events (see the opening of the kindergarten building) attractive with their traditional dances.
Now, things turn really sad. Kindernothilfe/Duisburg (KNH) has supported us for 24 years. Truly a long time. At the end of the year, they will stop their financial support and cease the aid. For our youth center and the training kitchen, we are missing 70,000€. We are thinking, consulting, and inquiring here and there about how we can close this large financial gap. If the city of Mitrovica would support us, it would be a huge relief
In October, we were visited by the responsible department head of KNH, Mr. Jörg Denker. It was an important and sad final visit. We are grateful for the years of support.
Even a department head of KNH (Jörg Denker) can play table soccer!
The farm
For 12 years, we have had a farm and offer 8 jobs for people with different disabilities. We train, advise, and accompany them, providing education for the various tasks on a farm. Currently, we have 130 goats and will sell some of them.
The farming year is slowly coming to an end with the harvest season. We have already planted 3 hectares of winter wheat and plowed 4 hectares for planting corn in the spring. This year, God has been gracious to us; we harvested 20 tons of corn, 18 tons of wheat, and 1.5 tons of oats.
Additionally, we have huge amounts of fruit, especially plums and medlar. From the plums, we made plum jam. Moreover, our refrigerators are full of goat cheese.
The goats have now been dried off. They no longer produce milk as they are pregnant. They still graze when the weather is good. We are still waiting for the city council to decide on our application for 7.5 hectares of land, which we hope to officially receive from the city of Mitrovica. After every city council meeting, we are told it will be on the agenda at the next session.
With an official contract, we can finally transform the farm into a social enterprise. Only then can we officially receive subsidies from the Ministry of Agriculture.
We have too many Gordian knots here. Solving or breaking them is extremely difficult. Even the electrician (from Vushtrri) is looking for a solution to the knot.
We thank “Otto per Mille” and the Waldensian Church in Italy for their generous help and support.
The owner of the café reported that he had power again
The Rhineland Church has included us in the collection plan. We receive a designated collection, which will help us finance the farm. Thank you very much!
Various
On August 19th, Ms. Nadja Schlau and Ms. Katharina Paschkowski from Brot für die Welt (BfdW) visited us. They informed themselves about the implementation of the project they are funding, and in joint training, we learned more details about the cooperation agreement and the preparation of financial reports
A Sunday afternoon in Prizren
In October, a Kosovar, Mr. Fatlum Azemi, who has been living in England for many years, surprised us with a donation of 20 pairs of boxing gloves. Our trainer (far right) was especially delighted.
You can donate to the Diakonisches Werk of the Church Districts of Trier and Simmern-Trarbach gGmbH, and you will receive a donation receipt.
