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.

Vesa is practicing her folklore dance in a traditional costume. Foto: Anna Mustafa, Kosovo

Thanks to you, children find new sources to happiness

Children are always curious and often change hobbies. SOS Children’s Villages Kosovo supports all children in developing their skills and interests.

Recently Tringa, Vesa and Hana joined their school folklore dance group. Kosovo’s folk dance is a lively and spirited dance. Dancers wear colourful traditional costumes that represent their specific region and culture when dancing. The dance itself involves fast footwork, graceful gestures, and expressive body movements. Typically, traditional music with wind instruments and drums is played while they dance.

Do you also want to enjoy a Kosovan dance?
One popular dance you might easily find a tutorial for in YouTube is called "Valle" or circle dance. In this dance, people form a circle, hold hands, and move in a circular motion.

Even though the girls are beginners, they are not shy to show and teach their friends the steps they've learned. Hana used to be shy, but since she started dancing, she feels more comfortable around people. She will soon preform in a concert with the dancing group.

“There are shortcuts to happiness and dancing is one of them” - Vicky Baum

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