YMCA in Kosovo Blog

In 2013 a partnership was struck between GWY (YMCA Kosovo) and the Y's Men in Denmark, in 2014 our movement embarked on opening the first charity/NGO shop in Kosovo with the help and support of the Y's Men club in Holstenbro. An application from our movement to the international  'Time of Fast' fund was also successful.  With the help of our friend Arne Nielsen I was able to visit them recently. Arne's help and support has been fantastic and motivating for us to work together and the members there really believe in making the world a better place. My visit was from the 8 th -12 th of December and through this days I had a chance to see first hand where the clothes donation for Kosovo comes from, how they prepare them and the wonderful people behind the project.  Meeting the staff at the storage unit I also had an opportunity to be present at the Ys Men meeting where they spoke about Kosovo and the process of the donation and commitment for hel...

My name is Doruntina and I’m a part of  YMCA in Kosovo. The first time I heard about this organization I though why not to go to a place where I can raise my voice. I’m so happy that there’s a place where the youth have the opportunity to follow their dreams. Doruntina volunteering I went to the YMCA for the first time in May for their Leadership Project and I’m still part of that today, now in level 2. I really enjoy the sessions and now i am also a peer trainer. In fact YMCA helped me a lot, day by day I got a lot more confident and I had no more fear to confront others.I learned to reduce prejudice and not to be part of stereotypes. I learned how its important to volunteer and what critical and constructive thinking is. Most of all I just being part of this amazing organisation. Since my first session in the Leadership project i knew I wanted to be a peer trainer, and now I have a wonderful group with 10 great people.They’re so interested to learn and to support e...

Hi my name is Lena, and my heart belongs to YMCA! Why do I have such a big love for YMCA... because its the first organisation that opened the doors towards my dreams .  It was summer 2009 when I heard about YMCA for the first time, I joined them and since then my doors have opened to everywhere. Lena with her new CEO I was so eager to learn and experience different cultures, the Y showed me how people from different cultures and backgrounds can live and function together as one. Through the Y I met so many people from all over the world that gather in one placed called the YMCA... they bring change and they help others. I traveled and learned a lot with YMCA. Being a woman who was born and raised in Kosovo, I had very few opportunities to see how the world functions outside of my borders. With the Y I have traveled around Europe, meeting important people and learning from them, improving my English, being part of different projects that made me feel that I am wo...