Abedin’s Story
Children with disabilities need care and support to feel included
"For us, Abedin is the priority. We monitor the situation of his family as well, but our focus is on Abedin, on his health and well-being, on his education and the services he receives".
There is something sincere and empowering in Brilanda’s words - the director of Handikos Gjakova. Brilanda is sharing her thoughts on the case of Abedin, an 11-year-old boy from the Roma community who, thanks to the identification and assessment of the Handikos team in Gjakova, has a started receiving education and psychosocial support services for the first time.
Abedin, the only child in his family, has communication and understanding delays. Twice a week, Abedin receives speech therapy and education and psychosocial services. Abedin seems happy. His body language when he his at the center reflects joy. However, his case is more specific. He was seen on the street, very often, with his mom begging for food and money. The family’s difficult financial situation has caused this to happen for years now. However, with the support of HANDIKOS Gjakova the family is now receiving social assistance from the authorities.
Thanks to the financial support of European Union in Kosovo, by strengthening the coordination of municipal authorities in Gjakova more children with disabilities are being identified and evaluated. Furthermore, capacity building workshops have been organized for speech therapists and staff of HANDIKOS Gjakova, which contributes to better understanding more effective interventions with children with disabilities and their families.
However, as Brilanda tells us, the lack of sustainability of services is always a problem as they depend on projects which can be interrupted or not continued at all.
"We are based on funds and projects. The Municipality of Gjakova helps us with subsidies, but there are too many procedures. I have the impression that at this point, it was only because of the support of UNICEF in Kosovo and the European Union that these children were able to receive such services", Ballata highlights.
Today, Abedin is regularly attending classes at the 'Zef Lush Marku' school. We don’t see him on the street anymore. He was also provided with transportation from Handikos Gjakova, and his father Enver is providing him with good care, despite the difficult economic conditions of the family and the challenges that any parent of a child with disabilities face.
"Every day I take my son to school and pick him up, and I do not want him to quit school. I myself do various jobs, sometimes I work with wood, and I have already secured the wood for winter. I told my wife not to take my son begging on the streets anymore" Enver Morina tells us.
Being part of the Roma community and a person with disability in Kosovo is not easy at all. In fact, according to Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), children most at risk of experiencing violence, abuse or neglect are children from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities, as well as children with disabilities, especially girls. Children with disabilities are among the most marginalized groups in society and face numerous challenges. They are mostly excluded from the education system in Kosovo and are less likely to have access to medical and other support services.
Abedin’s parents live with disability, too. They have been assessed by the clinical psychologist from Handikos and are further monitored by a psychiatrist. The mother seems to be less able to deal with Abedin and monitor his condition, whereas the father, Enver, – who is around 40’s but with difficulties in speaking, is willing to help his son to benefit from the services and care he receives from the primary school he attends, but also from Handikos Gjakova.
"He is a very calm boy and together we learn how to take care of hygiene, how to wash his face and hands and how to use the toilet. Here, at the centre, we also speak to his parents about each action so that he does the same when he goes home as well" says Dafina Zeka, a nurse at Handikos Gjakova.
Erza Zhaveli, a non-formal educator at Handikos in Gjakova, also works constantly with Abedin.
"I help him with his homework, where he struggles, in the Albanian language and mathematics. He is a very cooperative child, but needs more support. Even in group activities, he is cooperative, he implements every advice and instruction given to him. Even though there are delays and difficulties in understanding, over time, we can see improvements in his condition," Erza tells us.
"It is very important that Abedin comes regularly to our centre. Now, he attends school as well. Here he socializes with other children and receives individual support, prepares for school and we also help him with homework whenever needed. This is where the triangle of service provider - parent - teacher comes into play, and this is how we continue to help and empower Abedin," Ballata says.
In the Handikos centre in Gjakova a total of about 80 children who receive psycho-social support and education and health services within the facility, while others, due to more specific cases, also receive services in their homes. In partnership with UNICEF in Kosovo and with the financial support of the EU a total of 126 children receive services from Handikos in Gjakova. Throughout Kosovo, in cooperation with Handikos and Down Syndrome Kosovo associations, UNICEF and the EU have supported provision of rehabilitation services in 12 centres across 25 municipalities reaching more than 1347 children with disabilities.
UNICEF and EU remain committed to support inclusion of all children and ensure access to education, health and social services.
