Impegno Missionario’s Albanian Renovation Transforms Balldre Community

Recently, the word has been finalized at the end of the project carried out by the Impegno Missionario di Esenta group in the Albanian town of Balldre: home to 3,000 residents, located 70 km from Tirana.

The volunteers renovated, just steps from the house of the Piccole Suore della Sacra Famiglia, a 310 square meter building to serve as a counseling center, pharmaceutical dispensary, preschool, and community space.

Now, 60 children have access to comfortable premises, teenagers have rooms to meet in, and the sisters can carry out catechesis, social assistance, and human promotion activities more easily.

Details of the project and volunteer involvement

The project was made possible thanks to the decisive contribution of the Giunta di Calcinato, which allocated 60 million lire over four years.

During this period, twelve teams of volunteers—including builder Nunzio Ponzoni and university student Renato Crottogini, son of Calcinato mayor Pierangelo—worked in shifts on constructing both the exterior and interior facilities, totaling 4,480 hours of work spread over 560 days.

However, the events that shook the Albanian young democracy forced the volunteers to interrupt their work several times.

The Brescians faced environmental difficulties, difficult relocations, shortages of water and electricity, and obstacles in sourcing materials.

Testimonies and contacts

“At the same time,” emphasize the Bresciani, “we experienced the warm hospitality of the nuns, the simplicity of the local population, and the happiness of Albanians who found themselves at the center of a disinterested intervention.”

Those interested in obtaining further information about this humanitarian initiative can contact the Volontari costruttori del gruppo Impegno Missionario, based at via Castello 33 in Esenta di Lonato, or call (or fax) 030-9105015; or visit the website www.gbcom.net/grimm.

Flavio Marcolini