Arber's Story

Hi dear friends!

I want to tell you guys of how the YMCA helped me to evolve as a person and also directed me in new interesting paths in my life.

I spent most of my life outside of Kosovo. In 2002, my family decided to move back after living 9 years in Switzerland. I ended up spending 5 years in Kosovo end I can easily say that those were the happiest years of my life, even if we didn’t have the best financial situation as a lot of other kids in my town, we still managed to have a lot of fun and in the same time we did learn how to love and help each other.

Me and my friends were engaged in a lot of programs and organizations in my town like the local youth center and the red cross, so when my family decided to move to Sweden in 2007, this was not really happy news for me, because of the fact that it was really sad to leave all these amazing people behind and the whole project that we worked so hard for.

So the first days in Sweden were really hard and I missed everything I had left behind. After some weeks I tried to get in touch with some organizations in hope of finding similar projects as those in Kosovo and that is how I found the local YMCA in Västerås.

In the beginning I did not realize how big the organization was and what great doors it would open for me. I met a lot of amazing people who became my mentors and more importantly good friends, in that time I did not know what I wanted to do when I grew up. I just wanted to do something that was related to art.

Then the organization got me in contact with other members that were interested in art. We ended up becoming very good friends and started a lot of interesting programs together and that is how my engagement in the YMCA started and one project led to another. In the past years the YMCA helped me to start a lot of projects, as street-art workshops for kids and teenagers. in the summers they offered me a job as a summer camp leader and with time I began to be interested in graphic design so the organization let me do some design work for them.

My interest in graphic design grew, so I began to work as a freelance graphic designer and most of my clients are people that I got in touch with via the YMCA.

But I still enjoy volunteering for the organization so the past years I started to go to YMCA meetings in Sweden and Europe to meet a lot of interesting people to connect with and start different projects together.

As you guys see, my whole life has formed around this organization and I am really happy for that.

So all you guys have to realize how lucky you are to be a part of this organization, if you have dreams or ideas do not hesitate to talk to your YMCA or even other YMCA's around the world I am sure they would love to hear from you and so do I!

Arber

Comments

  1. Dear Aber, Ken here from England. This is such a good post, telling the story about your life experience and also your roots in Kosovo. Some really exciting YMCA work going on there.

    It was great to see you in Manchester in May, hope that proved to be a good time. I have seen some bit of your work and you are truely a gitfed man in my eyes.

    I do hope to see you in Prague, there will be alot of very special people there and I hope you get the opportunity to touch and stimulate them through your work.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much Sir. I had a great time in Manchester and I am really thankful for the opportunity that was given me there to get to know all of you.

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  2. This is a very inspirational story Aber! Keep up all the hard work as it is amazing. Looking forward to seeing you again in Prague.
    Take care,
    Martine x

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Martine ! It was really nice to see you in Manchester ,you and the rest of the Irish team are amazing and I am really looking forward to meet you guys again in Prague.

      Delete
  3. Hi Arber! Si je a je mire?

    Thank you for this inspiring post! It is amazing to see how many youth from Kosovo are involve in YMCA in other countries. In our office we are blessed to wake up every morning and help you in Kosovo build their future.

    Look forward to see you in Prague,

    Shihemi e per t'mira!

    Dorina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Faliminderit shum Dorina !

      Jam shumë krenar me punen qe e bën ti dhe ekipi I Kosovës . Ju uroj shum fat dhe suksese në ardhmeri.

      Shihemi në Prag :)
      Arbëri

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