Support 1,000 Kosovo Youth Learn by Volunteering

Dear friends,

It’s been an exciting seeing new and existing volunteers – that you so generously support, grow into smart, community activists with a heightened sense for doing good. This is Our Service-Learning program continues to build and motivate youngsters to learn and put that knowledge to good use.

It was difficult to choose from, but here are the three stories that highlight our activities regarding Volunteering and Learning:

1. Volunteers learned and delivered 14 community projects
2. Youth-centered “Solidarity Action Day” is set for June!
3. Youth-led Debate Clubs receive further municipal support

Learning by volunteering works and we see that everyday.

1. Volunteer Community Projects keep rolling

Close to 850 Super-Volunteers from Service-Learning Clubs and volunteers from Debate Clubs – from 16 municipalities across Kosova, continue to learn their way to their first community project. So far, they’ve delivered 14 community projects with more than 3,000 people directly benefiting from their interventions. Here’s a few of from the many projects they implemented:

- Painting and coloring the streets and developing activities with children at the "Pema" Children's Center in Peja. Together with the children, they painted a canvas painting. The club promoted the inclusiveness of children. Beneficiaries of the project were 50 children.

- At the “Skender Luarasi” High School in Suhareke, sports equipment was donated to the students of the school. Beneficiaries of the project are close to 300 people, including students, staff, and the community.

- Games and activities center for all children at the "Kongresi i Manastirit" School, where the activities are also suitable for children with special needs. Beneficiaries of the project are 700 people, including all school students, staff, and the wider community.

2. Solidarity Action Day is set for June!

We’re gearing up to organize the biggest single-day volunteering event – the “Solidarity Action Day”. It is a day when youngsters of school-age, work for a day in one of the many organizations and businesses that have partnered with us, and donate their earning of that day to two causes (1) Youth mental health and (2) Kids with special needs.

Our goal is to have more than 500 youngsters work on that day, and raise 5,000 EUR for their cause. So far, 214 jobs have been provided by 28 businesses that will pay a total of 3,845 EUR – and we’re very near our goal

This activity is done in cooperation with the SAME Network of organizations (Solidarity Action Day Movement in Europe) – a network of 12 European member youth organisations from 10 different countries. TOKA is a candidate organization that will seek full membership this year.

3. Debate Clubs start their 2nd season

Close to 350 pupils in 12 schools from 6 municipalities will continue learning about volunteering for a 2nd season. Club members from Peja, Istog, Obiliq, Deçan, Fushë Kosova and Klina will work on their community project and present them to their Municipal representatives. These activities will further help raise awareness of the importance of the Service-Learning methodology in the community so that they become part of the Municipal funding schemes.

More good news

We’ve been chosen as the Next Leader of the Central and South-East European Network of Educational Volunteerism, for the period 2023-25. This network includes organizations from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia, and is focused on spreading the Service-Learning methodology amongst the youth and youth-enablers. We will direct and coordinate “Learning by doing” projects and try to spread this methodology even further.

To catch up on these and other activities, do follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok as well as on our newly-designed website.

Until next time, I wish you good health to you and your loved ones.  
Thank you for trusting us.

Sincerely,
Jehona

Links:

• TOKA's website