Problem / Project Background
Emerging from 45 years of Communism, the country was left isolated and with little functioning national infrastructure, Albania has struggled to improve the quality of life for its people.

Many sources of safe drinking water have been compromised by pollution through sewage or pollutants entering the water table leading to outbreaks of preventable diseases such as cholera.

Sadly, at one time approximately 2000 villages out of the 2800 in Albania were connected to a water distribution network but now owing to the collapse of the networks, less than 1000 continue to be so. Even so, the old water networks (pipes, reservoirs, and pumps) are steadily deteriorating, leaking and becoming less and less safe to drink from.

In years past, Islamic Relief worked to improve local roads and small bridges as well as water supply throughout Albania. However during 2002 water supply projects in Shkdora Prefecture were prioritized, owing to Islamic Relief's already-established presence in northern Albania where the significant intervention of the government and other NGOs in water-related projects is missing.

Since the start of this initiative in 1999, ten different Quick Impact Projects have been completed by Islamic Relief throughout Albania in coordination with local communities. Communities are involved in all aspects of identifying their needs, designing the projects and implementing the projects (usually providing the volunteer labour required). Projects completed in 2002 to date are three different water supply projects in the villages of Milan, Mushan and Fierze.

Project Objectives

• To provide increased access to safe and potable drinking water in rural areas of Albania

• To save the precious time of women and school children who walk for hours to fetch water

• To save the money of poor people who otherwise would need to purchase safe drinking water

• To raise community awareness of how to prevent waterborne diseases

• To raise levels of community participation in initiatives aimed at improving their quality of life

Project Activities

• Contacts and visits with local government bodies, community leaders and communities to know their needs

• Identification and evaluation of specific sites and potential projects

• Follow-up visits by Islamic Relief technical staff to conduct pre-work surveys

• Drafting of budgets and implementation plans

• Scheduling, coordinating and supervising the implementation of agreed upon projects

Beneficiaries
20,000 rural residents will benefit this year from improved infrastructure

Other Activities In Country

• Food For Work – Shkodra, Kukes and Dibra Prefectures

• Emergency Flood Relief Assistance – Shkodra Prefecture

• Food for Assets (Food Distribution) – Shkodra and Kukes Prefectures

• Hajj Shamia Madrassah – Shkodra City

• Ebu Bekr Community-Training Centre (CTC) – Pogradec City

• Daut Borici Community-Training Centre (CTC) – Shkodra City

• Orphans’ Sponsorship – Shkodra, Kukes and Korçe Prefectures

• Improving Widows’ Welfare – Tirana Prefecture