Christmas parcels
For children in Albania
Each year we bring the joy of Christmas to children in Albanian mountain villages. Donors from all over Germany participate, volunteers in Wismar prepare additional packages. At the beginning of December, a German-Albanian team will be out and about distributing thousands of parcels in Albanian schools and kindergartens.
The Christmas campaign
“Love reaching people” is the motto of our work. This is particularly true for the annual Christmas campaign: With their love and commitment, a great number of donors and volunteers make it possible to bring Christmas presents to children in Albania – to the most remote villages, where people have little hope. Thousands of kids receive their personal Christmas present. The focus is not on the content, but on the love that resonates with the children.
What’s the point of a Christmas package?
Simple answer: Every child is happy to receive a gift. Each parcel reaches an individual child in Albania and brings the joy of Christmas – just because they have been given a gift. For some children it is the only gift of the year!
Another aspect are economic difficulties from which the children also suffer: Many Albanian families have no money for school books, toys and even doctor’s visits. This means that a package with school supplies, hygiene articles and sweets is actually a valuable and noticeable relief. Not only in the mountains, also in the cities there is a lot of open and hidden poverty. That’s why, as part of the Christmas campaign, we support partner organizations in cities that look after sick and poor children: selected kindergartens and schools, facilities for the disabled, church communities.
Many parts make up a big whole. During the Christmas parcel campaign, we distribute thousands of parcels every year. This means that entire cohorts of pupils, their families and entire villages are reached. The campaign is part of our activities in the villages and cities, a part with a very far-reaching impact: it not only reaches individual children, it also strengthens our connection with the population, the city administration and the partner organizations.
Would you like to get involved?
If you would like to contribute as a donor outside Germany, Switzerland and Austria, please contact our office.
The Christmas campaign has taken place every year since 2000. Some prominent points:
2021: More than 4.000 parcels
Besides the mountain villages, children from partner institutions in Pogradec, Tirana, Lezha and other parts of Albania receive gifts
2020: Campaign despite the pandemic
During the Covid19 pandemic, restrictions make preparations and distribution difficult. Nevertheless, our staff (mainly Albanian) distributed 3,800 Christmas packages.
2016: New record
Approximately 3,500 packages – a great achievement by the volunteers and donors from different countries
2015: More villages
The Pogradec school administration is now responsible for a larger area, this allows us to visit villages we haven’t been to before
2003: Already 1,600 packages
The Christmas campaign has become established, many packages already come from other parts of Germany
2000: First Christmas campaign
A volunteer has the idea of providing gifts for Albanian children – in addition to parcels, many self-knitted scarves are given away