About Help in Albania
Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V. is a German non-governmental relief organisation. Help was founded in 1981 in response to the refugee crisis in Afghanistan in the wake of the Soviet war in the country. MPs from all parties in the German Parliament as well as other distinguished personalities from science and the church came together to found Help.
Help initially provided humanitarian assistance to Afghan refugees who had fled to Pakistan. Since the 1980s Help’s relief assistance programme has grown and over the past four decades Help has provided humanitarian assistance in many other countries across the globe. Help provides humanitarian assistance based on the real needs of refugees, displaced persons and other affected people regardless of their race, creed or nationality.
Help today
Help still provides emergency assistance across the globe but has expanded its focus and today it supports rehabilitation and development projects in 23 countries. Whenever possible Help works to link emergency aid with self-help activities. One of the Help’s core aims is to encourage the efforts of communities affected by catastrophes and living in poverty to support them to improve their living circumstances themselves. Help cooperates closely with local partners and non-governmental organisations, knowing that these people are best placed and most familiar with local conditions, culture and needs. With its projects Help is not only addressing immediate humanitarian needs, but also fighting the causes which resulted in humanitarian catastrophes and aims to find durable solutions for people and communities in need. In order to work most effectively Help coordinates its activities with other national and international organisations working the countries where it is operating.
Help in Albania
- supporting employment schemes to enable greater access to the labour market by youth, women and people from marginalised groups.
- supporting social integration for members of the Roma and Egyptian communities and persons who have served a prison sentence through employment and vocational training schemes.
- promoting and supporting start-up businesses, small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as social businesses.
- supporting farmers and small rural and agritourism businesses improve their livelihoods through training and equipment grants.
- providing support to persons and local institutions affected by natural disasters or medical emergencies.
- helping to establish local social care services.
- supporting local regeneration through rehabilitation of community facilities.
Help in Albania is currently implementing the German government funded regional “Socio-economic empowerment of the Western Balkans” project in Albania. The overall aim of the project in Albania is to promote employment and self-employment among marginalised groups with a focus on women and youth and to support farmers & small rural businesses affected the by the 2019 earthquake.