17 October 2019

Volunteering in Kosovo, Michele’s Story

"It was a long journey before arriving, about 250 km from Tirana.  We followed a continuous mountainous landscape along the brand-new A1 motorway that connects the city of Durres to the boarder with Kosovo. 
We meet Massimo, the person who runs the family home and the Cooperative in Leskoc. He tells us that previously it would have taken about 14 hours for the same journey. We arrive at the boarder…Everything is fine, we just say “Caritas Italia!” - and the journey continues. It is a beautiful day; a strangely warm and bright sun accentuates the intense green of the landscape. 

We immediately realize that we have met a “Great Man”. Massimo, with his infinite calm and almost imperceptible voice, is an inexhaustible font of information. Eager to “know” the situation, we storm him with questions that he never stops answering. Indeed, he almost seems to take pleasure in telling us the minute details. The big picture is starting to become confused. I no longer perceive the outlines and colors that become increasingly blurred. How can so many different scenarios co-exist here in Kosovo? The colors of the sunset mix with the blue background of the sky and accompany us for the last few kilometers.

We arrive at dusk. An imposing U-shaped structure stands before us. On the patio, an extremely well-kept garden provides a sense of freshness. Two teenagers, Arian and Ardit, welcome us in perfect Italian.  There is a huge hall with bay windows at the entrance. 
It is time for dinner and we get to meet everyone. The family is large! The “smallest” are the first to come forward and make first contact.We also meet Cristina, Massimo’s wife, who works hard to manage a difficult project with him. I can’t fail to notice the cleanliness and order. Long halls, recreation room, mini-apartments, and a tower where the girls have their rooms form the skeleton of the structure.  There is a milk processing lab  and a bakery in the basement. There is a soccer field and a basketball court adjacent to the structure. 
But is this what I expected to find? Why was I wondering if it was “too much” or if it was right? “Too much” compared to what? Why shouldn’t it be right? Why can I have something “beautiful” in Italy, but not in Kosovo?  These were my questions that first night.

The following morning the sun radiated from the plateau and the surrounding mountains completed the picture. It was almost like a postcard. There were cornfields ready to be harvested and newly plowed fields to be sown. A wave of positive energy runs through my body! 
Breakfast is ready! I am amazed at how everyone contributes to putting everything back in order as soon as they finish eating. From the youngest to the oldest, there are no exceptions! Everyone does their work without complaining. Soon everything is in order and as clean as before. And we’re off! We finish up a few last things and we’re off to school.

The mirage vanishes when we go to deliver food to the less fortunate families with Massimo. We have the opportunity to enter people’s homes and  notice the absence of services such as heating and running water; how they all sleep together in a single room without beds, heated by a wood stove; the lack of hygiene; and, in some cases, how people with mental problems are marginalized by society, and don’t receive any help from the state. 

Can beauty help to “heal”? Can lights and colors contribute to the process and influence a person’s spirit? I realize how even a serene, beautiful, and clean environment can contribute to the psychophysical well-being of children who have experienced such strong traumas and, in some cases, still experience serious discomfort. “Beauty”, as in doing “beautiful things” for oneself and for others, is part of the process of self-realization and admission to society. It helps us plant a new seed and make sure the plant continues to grow luxuriantly over time. 

Thank you, Massimo and Cristina, for the unconditional love you show and for reestablishing a “nest” and dignity to everyone!"

You can also support the project A barn for Leskoc House.
Thanks to your support, the House’s young people will have the opportunity for a real job and liberation. Donate now

 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT



LATEST NEWS OF THE FOUNDATION SEE ALL NEWS
30 October 2024

Aldo and Ibraim: two work grants to start a new li...

The Valter Baldaccini Foundation’s socio-work inclusion projects were designed to offer opportunitie...

READ THE NEWS
14 October 2024

A gesture of solidarity from the UMBRAGROUP footba...

On Saturday, September 14th, UMBRAGROUP’s soccer team, together with 17 other teams from all over th...

READ THE NEWS
24 September 2024

A plaque of honor for Valter Baldaccini, a man of...

By will of the General Assembly of the United Nations, September 21 is celebrated as the Internation...

READ THE NEWS
23 September 2024

Two days of free visits with ANT Umbria

Two days dedicated to the prevention of thyroid cancer will be held in Foligno, in Piazza San Domeni...

READ THE NEWS
04 September 2024

The fourth edition of the football tournament “A g...

On Thursday and Friday, the 29th and 30th of August 2024, “A goal for Valter” was held in Cannara, i...

READ THE NEWS
21 August 2024

The book of Valter Baldaccini speeches will be pre...

The Cannara Onion Festival Authority will present the book “Valter Baldaccini: an enlightened entrep...

READ THE NEWS
01 August 2024

The trip to Kosovo in the new issue of “From the r...

In the new issue of  "From the roots”, the Valter Baldaccini Foundation periodical dedicated to in-d...

READ THE NEWS
26 July 2024

Daniele celebrates his birthday with solidarity

For his birthday, Daniele Cecconi chose not to receive gifts, but invited friends and family to dona...

READ THE NEWS
19 July 2024

Kenya: amid political instability and post-flood c...

The last few months in Kenya have been quite difficult. Between the consequences of a severe flood t...

READ THE NEWS

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER

Get all the updates on current projects and initiatives

DISCOVER THE WAYS TO DONATE

SUBSCRIBE
TO THE NEWSLETTER

Stay up to date on current projects and initiatives

Don't show this window again