A letter to you from Kosovo

Thanks to you, families grow stronger together

“Hey dad, what do you use this tool for?” asks little Ana while holding a wrench in her hand. Ana’s dad Sinisa smiles at her and says: “How did you know I needed exactly that? Come here to help me and I’ll show you how to use it”. Ana tries her best to tighten a bolt together with her dad.

In the past Ana’s parents struggled a lot to find a job. As a result, they struggled to make the ends meet. Their relationship as a family and communication was getting harder every day. Sinisa had heard about SOS Children’s Village Kosovo Family Strengthening Program and he wanted to be part of it. Since joining the program in 2018, Ana’s family got all the help they need with psychological, pedagogical and economic empowerment.

As a result of the trainings and help, today, Ana and her siblings feel more confident in school and can enjoy their childhood. They are much closer to their mom and dad. Sinisa, on the other hand, got new mechanical supplies and is doing much better in providing for his family.

“Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional.” – Roger Crawford.

Leyla and Linda, sitting together and practicing Bosnian.
Foto: Anna Mustafa, Kosovo — Leyla and Linda, sitting together and practicing Bosnian. Foto: Anna Mustafa, Kosovo

Thanks to you, it's easier for children to stay in touch with their families

In Kosovo, most people speak Albanian. There are also residents who speak Serbian, Turkish, Bosnian, and other languages. Many kids in Kosovo can speak two languages, which is great. At SOS Children's Villages Kosovo, we support every child, recognizing that all cultures are beautiful and enriching.

Let me tell you about Leyla. Leyla is a little girl who lived outside Kosovo for some time and knew some Bosnian. But with time, Leyla forgot the language. At SOS Children's Villages Kosovo, we always try to help children stay in touch with their biological families when it's possible and best for the child. Leyla's dad only speaks Bosnian. When he visits, we make sure there's someone who can translate. Nonetheless, sometimes being able to say something as simple as I miss you, or I love you on your own is priceless.

Learning Bosnian to speak to Dad!
Luckily, Linda, one of our colleagues, speaks Bosnian as well. When Linda noticed Leyla's struggle to communicate with her dad, she decided to help Leyla remember her language. "Together with Aunt Linda, I got the chance to learn Bosnian again. We practiced counting, saying hello, and lots of phrases. I always enjoyed speaking in Bosnian." Says Leyla.

Nowadays, when Leyla meets her dad, she can talk to him more and more without needing a translator. This brings so much happiness to both Leyla and her dad. With practice and communication, hopefully, they won't need a translator at all in the future.

"One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way."- Frank Smith

*Kindly note that for data protection reasons, I have changed all the names in the stories.