A visit to Kosova: Entering the beehive

In her first blog Hiba Ben Abdennabi, media and communication officer at Islamic Relief Albania, recounts an eye-opening trip to Kosova.

After a few hours of travel, I arrived at the central bus station in Pristina.

“Is it okay if we head to the location right away?”

“Yes,” I said, and that marked the beginning of my training in Kosova.

A few weeks earlier, I passed the interview to become the media and communication officer at Islamic Relief Albania and was getting ready to start my new role.

My counterpart in Kosova invited me to visit so I could observe and learn best practice from the team there during the very busy month of Ramadan.

Diving right in

Accompanied by the Islamic Relief Kosova team, I found myself in front of a newly built house on the outskirts of the capital. We were welcomed by a mother and her 2 sons, smiling at us as they invited us in.

The house was cosy, and the new appliances and furniture fit perfectly. The team and the mother started chatting right away and I could not help but notice that her eyes filled with gratitude towards them.

After the death of her husband, she had found it hard to maintain a stable income, let alone dream of living in a house of her own. That was until Islamic Relief Kosova reached out and offered to build her a house in a nice area.

During our visit, the team inspected the house, making sure that everything was up to standard. The children kept looking at us with happy and curious eyes, while their mother expressed her gratefulness to the donor who turned her dream into reality.

As the visit was about to end, I moved away to allow my colleague to take some photos. Just then, I felt the mother’s hand hold my arm as she told me to join them. As we were positioning ourselves, she hugged me tightly. Everyone looked at the lens, joyful inside out!

A hive of activity

After a short drive, I was in the Islamic Relief Kosova office in the city centre of Pristina. The 4-storey building was like a beehive. Offices left and right were busy with employees and volunteers fulfilling their duties and, most importantly, responding to the influx of donor enquiries.

The Islamic Relief office in Pristina, Kosova, was a hive of activity

In the midst of all that, everyone welcomed me warmly and wished me a good training experience. As a new addition to the Islamic Relief family in the region, I was determined to absorb their energy, acquire their skills and learn from their expertise.

My experience in the office couldn’t have been any more pleasant. All various types of personalities fit each other like pieces of a puzzle. Each one focused on perfecting their craft, but also cheering the others on. And despite their packed schedules, everyone was helpful, answering my questions and offering me all the assistance I needed.

As it was my first time in Kosova, I felt blessed to get to experience this beautiful country through the eyes of Islamic Relief.

Distributing parcels of joy

For the next few days, I was tasked with joining the food package distribution team in the field. I started my day by going to the office. From there, I’d head with team members to different parts of the country.

In every location, huge trucks filled with essential food items were waiting for the people Islamic Relief supports to receive them. Upon arrival, the team members dispersed to carry out their assigned tasks.

One was supporting staff in the registration booth, another started checking the food items within each box, while a third supervised the distribution process. Of course, there is always someone running around, climbing, and even squatting when necessary, making sure to document every moment with a photograph.

The process, as hectic as it might sound, was always carried out with the utmost professionalism. I could really sense sincerity and excellence, 2 of Islamic Relief’s values, reflected in our work on the ground here. Despite the cold weather, everyone worked relentlessly – who said fasting drains energy?! Fasting had nothing on us!

Witnessing a Ramadan food parcel distribution first-hand felt like seeing Islamic Relief’s values in action

Looking back, the people receiving food parcels seemed comfortable as well. They clearly felt safe around the staff, who were mindful and respectful towards them. “Faleminderit! Allahu jua shpërbleft!” (Thank you! May Allah reward you!) was all I could hear from everyone assembled.

As it was my first time in Kosova, everything looked new and unique to me. Yet, the moments that resonated with me the most were when I locked eyes with a family member or a child and felt that a heart-felt connection had been formed instantly. It was overwhelmingly rewarding.

I am writing this blog as my trip comes to an end. Just like the people I met in the field, I am also filled with gratitude towards everyone that facilitated my training period. Your positive attitude and hardworking company fueled me and I am ready to give back and add value to your work.

This blog is dedicated to Islamic Relief Kosova staff, especially the departments of Media and Communication and Fundraising. Thank you for welcoming me and showing me the ropes.

Hiba is one of our new regular bloggers. Each month, she’ll share stories from her work at Islamic Relief.

Please help Islamic Relief to continue the life-saving work we do in Kosova and around the world. Donate now.