YMCA in Kosovo Blog

My name is Avnora Morina from Gjakova municipality and I belong to the Egyptian community. I first heard about the YMCA at Bethany Christian Service  February  2016 and have been a part of this youth organization ever since. Avnora and other participants from Leadership training I started with the Leadership program for which I am the first generation of the community to participate in such activities. This group had a variety of ethnicities and we have completed 4 levels of this program, during this time we have learned a lot about leadership, developed critical thinking and gained confidence. Communication with others as a young person was very important to me, because it opened new doors and each door had a new friend which helped me when I needed them. Avnora with her Leadership group After all this time I have opened my own Leadership group and also participated in TenSing groups and the Y WoMan gender project. With the YMCA I have had the opportunity to ...

No wonder all my relatives live in Switzerland! – by Ari. Hey guys, I’m Ari and I’ve been a volunteer in the YMCA for 3 and a half years now. I joined the YMCA to have a place where I can hang out with my friends, but little did I know that I was starting a life journey that would shape and nurture me as a leader and person! Week by week I was taught and challenged with incremental tasks that promoted good values; I was pushed towards independence gradually, and when the time came, I was given the opportunity to travel and represent my country in Switzerland!  The day came when we had to set off. Luckily our flights were a breeze and we didn’t have any problems while traveling. We first set foot in the beautiful city of Geneva and had a few spare hours to stroll around the vast city. Wandering through Geneva, I was continuously reminded of how small we actually are, and how there’s an endless world waiting to be seen and marveled. The streets, the people, the stores, the bu...

Inspired to start something new. On September 20-24 the World YMCA organized the Innovation Camp and brought together leaders from different counties to have intensive training around successful youth empowerment programmes with the view to implement them in our local YMCAs as there were 5 different topics. This event was held in Leysin, Switzerland. I was involved in Mental Health training since I am from this background (a psychology student). A really beautiful view and the environment in the Swiss Alps helped us to have an even more enjoyable experience. Errisa in Swiss Alps We were trained based on the experience of the Project from YMCA Vancouver “YMCA Mindfulness Programme” – For young people to learn healthy coping tools to manage anxiety, connect with other young people and receive support—all in a safe and friendly community environment. Errisa and her friends from the training I had the opportunity to learn about this chosen innovation and start a journe...

Being part of international training is something not everybody can be part of. I had the chance to participate in the YMCA Europe Leadership Academy. I’m always interested to know more about leadership so I was thrilled to get to be part of the Leadership Academy. The first session that was organized in Paris during April 2018 I learned a lot.  Ariana and her Leadership Academy friends It’s amazing how everything was prepared in the most perfect way possible, learning more about project management, about target groups, getting to know the different problems in different countries was a wonderful experience. It was one week that I meet different people with different jobs, different backgrounds that I couldn’t wait to meet again. Ariana during her training So before going back to meet these wonderful people again, it was time to do our homework, to share what we learned in the Academy with young people back home.  It was finally time for the second session. ...

Hello!   I’m Drilon Rogova, an 18-year-old boy who has experienced a lot because of YMCA. I`m a part of YMCA   for 5 years now and each year was better than the other.   YMCA have many programs that I have participated such as “Move” (tensing), the first group I ever joined in YMCA, and then followed by Leadership program (4 levels), Y WoMan, Ten Sing (singing, dancing, drama, video making, painting ), Scouts, SDG training and much more . Hello! I'm Drilon I have been a leader of a leadership group for 3 levels which gave me knowledge on how to be a good leader and the first singing group on YMCA when we gave two successful performances at the Tensing showcase. YMCA helped me gain my self-esteem, talking in public, giving speeches, making new friends etc. I also won the award for young volunteer of the year 2017. Past President Milot gave 'The Young Volunteer of the year' award to Drilon YMCA also gives opportunities to young people ...

I’m Lum Kuraja, and I’ve been participating in YMCA activities as a volunteer for several years now. I was part of the Kosovo team and went to represent my country in the Youth Engagement in Europe program held in France. Altogether, there were six teams from six countries, and we went there from August 22 nd to August 31 st .  I have been a part of YMCA from 2015 as an active volunteer. This organization has had a major impact of shaping my character and personality. I’ve had the chance to meet a lot of new people, make new friends, and learn new things each time. This has given me a chance to improve my English, my communication and interpersonal skills, and to grow a lot as a person. And finally, YMCA gave me the chance to go to France to represent my country. It has been a wonderful experience being a part of this organization, and I intend to continue committing to it in the future as well. Lum First off, the journey to France was very exciting because several forms ...

This time for the Roots for Reconciliation project I headed to Budapest with 35 young people from 17 countries. A wonderful week full of study sessions, workshops and presentations from brighter minds which I'm thankful for.  The main goal was to bring and find peace spreading it through a campaign and social media. Fiona and other participants in the P.E.A.C.E training  An old man once said: "The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old but building the new"... and that is what we did. Round-tables surrounded by minds thinking independently together, that I'm sure made all of us come to a solution "Peace is our gift to each other". Fiona and her group presented their ideas It was my second time training with RFR, and I'm honored to say 'It changed my way of thinking'. The skills we get to learn do not end there... with yourself, then pass it down and spread the message in our countries. ...

Everything started with an invitation from a friend of mine... "do you want to be part of a youth training?"  Dea at Youth Ambassadors Meeting I accepted without asking any questions, even though I didn't know what the activities were or what we would do there. He said to me that I can invite one of my friends too, so Eli was the one I invited. This is how all started, the beginning wasn’t that good, because one of our trainers left but the other part of my YMCA road was just incredible. I applied to be a trainer for a Leadership group, I got accepted, they choose my group members, I was terrified because I didn’t meet any of them before. But they were my inspiration, they believed in me, worked with me and because of them I continue, I got another group that was as wonderful as the first one. Dea in the meeting with other Boards Members  I got an invitation to go to Norway for the TT festival where I meet a lot of new young people, new cultures it wa...

My name is Lira Shabi ,I’m 19 years old and I come from Peja, I joined Y MCA 3 years ago and I’ve been part of Leadership training also I’ve been a peer trainer and an Youth ambassador. Lira during her SDG Training After hearing that there will be another training in my city about SDG   I was very happy because , I would be even more engaged in YMCA. I have   the right to say that I haven’t heard about SDGs before and about their function in the world . After my training, I was filled with a lot of knowledge about the goals of United Nations to stabilize the world in different aspects and in many areas. Each of the areas of the SDG has it’s importance. During the training we focused more on the education field because it is one of the main problems affecting the Kosovo state because of the results shown in the research conducted by Pisa also a lot of illiteracy in Kosovo. Training was done in different ways and  it  was very creative, those things made ...

 Know your limits, but never stop trying to exceed them My experience at the YMCA in Kosovo Drenusha representing YMCA at CiviKos I have clearly in my mind the first day I came at the YMCA. I was called from my friend just for one day to accompany her, but I did not imagine that I will be a part of it, finding my space to share my opinions, feelings and expand my knowledge. At the beginning I did not know too much for the YMCA. I thought that it was just a youth center that do activities, games and stuff like that. After a month I can say that my point of view changed for better. The way I thought, the way I spoke and the way I communicate with other people. I have learned even more which are the problems that youth face with them. For one year I finished two levels of leadership and took part on world challenge “Move”(cup song), where I met new friends, new leaders and of course two important people Dorina and Adi. They always encourage and inspire us to not giving up...

When you first think of the word “PEACE” it makes you think and do something about it because everyone wants to change the disaster in the world… And that’s what RFR stands for. The first session was held in Tbilisi, Georgia but I didn’t have the chance to be a part of it because of a visa problem, however my mentor Adi didn’t let me miss anything what happened there and I was also connected with the group all the time. Fiona at the Roots training in Berlin We met all together in the city of  history, Berlin. We were 30 young people from different countries , where each of us has a story to tell. I was impressed how they managed to make every single detail on point. We started every morning with the “message of the day” and I felt so proud that the first message was a speech from Mother Teresa , because she’s a peace symbol and a role model for everyone, and she’s Albanian. Fiona and her tandem group The session “Do No Harm”  from the program really impress...

 I first started in September of 2012. I appreciate two of my friends Martin and Adrian who have been informed about the leadership training and invited me... in fact, I wasn't sure if I should go or not. I was very disappointed from the youth center of Gjakova in which I was registered as a volunteer and I have never been called in any activity because they were really passive in those days. Anjesa at the Youth Ambassador meeting The first day in YMCA was unexpected, I had fun and met new friends. Dorina was our trainer and she tried to leave us good impression about YMCA. We never did training like this in Gjakova, so as the first group we were one step before other young people. We had training once a week, but for us it wasn’t enough, we wanted more. Every day we spent there was really worthy, without mentioning the issues related to the space. Anjesa and Durim in Greece  After two amazing years spent in YMCA, even by having the chance to lead a grou...

The first time I heard about YMCA I honestly thought  it was a waste of time! However  I had nothing to do at that time... I was 15, no activities, nothing out of school and it was only once a week training. I didn’t have a great experience with my group and didn't know anyone so it wasn't a great first experience. But I came. Dren representing YMCA in Kosovo as Change Agents in France  My mom was a big reason for me to come every week, she trusted the leadership and every time I felt anxious she reassured me. It was hard at first but then something changed...it became a thing and I felt comfortable coming every week and then there were days I didn't want to come but I still came. Dren and the other participants joined the Wonderful Days Festival in Denmark Then I  volunteered and become a peer trainer. I didn’t know my partner Drenusha at first, but after we worked together more and more she become a really important person in my personal and Y...

The first time at the YMCA, I didn’t have a clue what it was, what happens and I don’t know what made me to continue the training... it was just a feeling that kept me.  Fiona is a Youth Ambassador There is no where or better yet there is no other place that makes me feel myself. The motivation that I get every time I enter the organization, I feel safe. I know there are people there who protects my rights. Fiona and her participant during Leadership Training I had a lot of problems to express my thoughts, being a ‘"peer trainer" has helped me a lot! I even trained two groups of young people who were successful and completed the three levels of leadership training. Leadership training The first time I meet an international person was at the YMCA, the first time I traveled abroad was with the YMCA, the first time I flew on an airplane was with YMCA, everything I started YMCA helped me make it possible. I found myself here, considering that I...

Everything started with the question "how to spend my free time?’’ One of my friends invited me to be part of an organisation which I didn’t have a clue about.  At first I  thought to myself what will I lose if I go and take a look? Then I started going every week and I started liking it more and more every time, then I couldn't wait to come every Saturday for Leadership training in Peja. Arber from Peja  At first I meet a lot of  new people, whom liked to hear my thoughts. I just felt free to express my ideas without being judged.  I changed the way of thinking at the YMCA and that's the first thing I achieved. I started to see things from different points. Arber at Youth Ambassador Meeting The biggest change that I achieved is when I came back from France. There I met a lot of new cultures from the world which changed me... it made me feel better for myself and my future.  Even if I regret some of my choices I made in life, I’...