The struggle against poverty

Caritas Albania will celebrate twenty years of its foundation in a special way on October 11, with a “Conference of donors” who supported the ecclesial body over the past years. “It will be a good opportunity – the promoters said – to thank all Caritas centres that have helped and that continue helping us, notably Caritas Italy, for their immense help, especially in the first years of our activity”. It’s not just an occasion to celebrate. Public authorities and institutions are expected to attend so tht “the State may acknowledge our efforts and support us”, the organizers underline. The anniversary will also provide an opportunity to reread the recent history of the Country. Vincenzo Corrado, for SIR Europe, interviewed Caritas Albania general director, Albert P.Nikolla.What is the balance of the past twenty years?  “To be honest, a lot has been done. Just to mention a few figures: in twenty years over one million people have been helped at least once for a poverty-related issue. When we say that Caritas Albania is celebrating its 20th anniversary, it’s important to underline that already in 1991 -over 20 years ago – Albania’s Catholic Church offered a wide range of charitable services with continuous efforts in the most afflicted areas. At the time the Country was recovering from a fierce dictatorship and severe poverty. Many areas of the country were marked by food shortage. I remember when the Prime Minister at the time said: “In Albania there is bread for only 6 days”. Riots ensued and food stores were ransacked, which led to the tragedy of Fushe Arrez, a city on the North, where dozens died in a fire that broke out while people were thronged in a food deposit. This episode is but a snapshot of the period in which Caritas was created. Now the situation is different, although severe poverty lingers on in mountain areas and in the suburban areas of the large cities, while so-called ‘Western poverties’ continue to grow: lonely old people, drug-addicts, homeless… To face all of this we have developed professional skills. But it’s not enough. We still need support from abroad: in Albania we have no funds”.  From its creation to date, the history of Caritas is interlaced with some of the most difficult periods experienced in the Country: the fall of the Communist regime (1990-1992), civil disorders for fraudulent investments (1997-1998), the crisis in Kosovo (1998-1999)…”Those are times that left indelible traces in the history of the Country and of the Church as a whole. Caritas benefits from the enormous experience at the service of the poor. We are engaged to help, and as said by Paul VI, to educate to charity. For this reason we have raised our voices against  social injustices and indifferences, as also Pope Francis teaches”.What is the current situation in the Country? What are the latest figures on poverty? “In the years 2005-2009 we witnessed economic growth, amounting to 2% on a yearly basis, which is still very modest. It should be said that in Albania there is also a black economy, thus official figures don’t take into account the overall situation. This is true also for poverty, of which we have no official data. To date as Caritas we promoted a project for observation the situation of poverty in the years 2010-2011 which showed high levels of poverty especially in villages and non-urban areas. At the same time the previously mentioned new forms of poverty are increasing”. To fight poverty you have promoted the program “The poor help the poor”. Could you tell us more about it?  “It’s a public-awareness campaign which consists in the collection of donations by the community. In certain strategic areas of the country (department stores, banks, airport of Tirana…) stalls have been set up with the logo of Caritas Albania with brochures with information on our activity, inviting people to make donations. We can’t always ask for support abroad. We must be aware that in Albania there must be mutual help. The Gospel doesn’t say that the rich help the poor but that people help each another mutually”.What is your wish for the future of the Country? “To overcome this period of transition, which for us Albanians has become an obsession. That the new government may truly understand politics as a service for the common good, and not as personal power”.