Emergency Aid Support

The socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Albania has been significant.  Most businesses closed during a two-month national lockdown from March to May 2020.  This had a particularly harsh effect on vulnerable families.  Official reports show that Albania’s GDP shrank by over 10% in the spring & summer of 2020 affecting the living conditions of all citizens but have the most adverse impact on the living conditions of the most at-risk groups.  Albania is a country which has a small and limited social protection safety net which many say is inadequate to meet the needs of the most vulnerable people and families in the country. 

In December 2020 Help staff along with a local partner organisation, Plan&Go, distributed aid packages of food, hygienic packages and school supplies to vulnerable families suffering from hardship due to COVID-19 and in need of support in the cities of Kavaja, Shkodra & Tirana.  In May 2021 Help staff also distributed aid packages of food, hygienic packages and school supplies to vulnerable families in the city of Ballsh.  

In the first round of emergency support 300 food packages & hygiene packages and 200 school material packages were distributed to local Roma & Egyptian families & children in Kavaja, 200 food packages & hygiene packages and 100 packages of school materials were distributed in Shkodra, and 510 food packages & hygiene packages and 200 school material packages were distributed in Tirana.  In total 1,010 Roma & Egyptian families received support and 400 Roma & Egyptian children received school supplies supporting their attendance at school.  In the second round of emergency support Help distributed 250 food & hygiene packages and 110 school material packages were distributed to local families & children in Ballsh.

The emergency support Help in Albania provided to vulnerable families and children was made possible by funding from the German Federal Foreign Ministry.