The Albanian Foundation Diakonia Albania (DA) is a non-profit organization committed to helping people in need. It goes back to the longstanding work of Christlicher Hilfsverein Wismar e.V. (CHW) which drove the first aid transport to Pogradec in 1992. Diakonia employees and volunteers carry out relief operations, maintain social projects such as the Children’s Center in Bishnica, and help to improve educational conditions and community structures.
Diakonia Albania was founded in 2012 as a subsidiary of CHW. It is the legal carrier of our social projects and a local partner for domestic and foreign agencies. Diakonia Albania maintains offices in Tirana (headquarters) and Pogradec, a social center and community center in Bishnica and a relief goods warehouse in Pogradec. In addition to the long-standing projects in Pogradec and the Mokra region, another focus is in Lezha (CHW Höxter group). However, aid campaigns also take place in various other cities, e.g. in Tirana, Librazhd, Elbasan, Korça and Gramsh.
Our Mission
People in the Albanian mountain villages live under the most primitive living conditions. They are largely cut off from the economic development in the cities, and the Albanian state is hardly able to bring about structural improvement. Therefore, we meet human suffering with our possibilities, for example, through aid for needy families, the care of elderly and sick people for whom there is no state welfare services, or with our Children Center, which provides education for pupils from remote villages.
In our projects, we work with local communities, government agencies, other aid organizations, and with many volunteers from Albania, Germany and other countries. Our aid changes lives. Not only of those directly affected: it encourages entire families and villages.
Our Vision
Through our work we want to help people change their lives for the better. We provide them with opportunities to get out of poverty and to provide for themselves. For example, our educational projects for children, sewing courses for women or agricultural projects, serve this purpose, as well as the advising of local authorities and improving infrastructure. An important aspect is, in our opinion, life in the community. Therefore, we help municipalities as well as churches and promote a willingness to help others, even outside of traditional family structures. As a more extensive goal we want to support, in addition to the current projects, the advancement and further development of the Albanian health and welfare system.
The Christian faith is the foundation of our work. We do not plant churches, but rather work together with local churches and Christian organizations, for example, through the membership in the VUSH. However, our offer of support is intended for all people, regardless of their religion.
