CIVIL SERVICE WITNESSES: AURORA'S STORY
“Traveling with the children of Drizë”, by Aurora Azzolina, Servizio Civile Universale, Fier (Albania)
Albania is beautiful. I have captured the pride of the people who live there for their flag, their hope for a better future, and their welcoming spirit. The likelihood of finding an Albanian flag or slogans such as “Rroftë Shqipëria!” around is very high.
As I write this testimony, I am in Fier, it is October, and I have been here for almost three months. Fier is a very quiet city, life flows at a different pace. You don't see many young people on the streets. There are no large meeting places, cinemas, or bookstores; public transportation is a mirage. Environmental problems are easily noticeable, between the pungent smell that characterizes the air from time to time and the rubbish lying around. The phenomenon of migration affecting the Albanian youth population is a long-standing problem. Albania is also rich in opportunities: I am talking about the possibility of creating, doing, and renewing. In Albanian citizens, I see great pride, a desire for redemption, and a hard-working spirit: their working hours defy any concept of work-life balance.
My role here as a civil servant is to support the activities of the Murialdo Social Center in the social integration of children from the Roma community. Among my various tasks, I am responsible for supervising them during school hours at the Zhupan school. The goal is to help combat illiteracy, overcome social marginalization, and organize recreational activities. The distinction between “Albanian children” and “Roma children” is noticeable. The Roma population here is organized in villages near Fier. In July, I visited the village of Drizë for the first time: I immediately sensed the energy that characterizes these children and their enthusiasm for Murialdo's activities. It was electrifying. There are no spaces for young children in the village: the Drizë community center is a fundamental reference point for the children of the Roma community, but its opening is not always guaranteed.
The lack of stable funding and staff makes the service uncertain, and this means that educational and recreational activities risk being interrupted just when the children need them most. Seeing their anticipation turn into disappointment at times is difficult: “Aurora, Drizë?” “Jo” (No). They insistently ask to be able to return to the center, a sign of how important it is for them to have a place where they feel welcome and cared for. Despite these difficulties, the children constantly ask to be able to return there: this shows how important the center is for their growth and socialization. The impact of Murialdo on the area and Engim's activities are essential. I notice this in the great respect that the children have for these organizations.
This demonstrates the strength and value of the project. The joy with which they participate in activities and the small daily progress they make are concrete proof of the positive impact that the project manages to generate, even in the most fragile conditions.
At first, I thought that Albania would not satisfy my desire to confront a geographically distant reality, convinced that perhaps there I would find greater challenges in which to grow both personally and professionally, but today I have changed my mind. I did not expect to meet a 20-year-old girl who is already a mother or an 18-year-old married man who dreams of an easier life. For them, these choices are part of a culture and a future that, in many cases, seems already mapped out and not chosen.