Taking the atmosphere of Ramadan in Turkey to the Balkans, the IHH visited Albania after Kosovo. An IHH is delivering fast-breaking dinner to about 50 people everyday in the Mushketa village close to the Albanian capital of Tirana. Everyday, groups of 50 people come to Mushketa for fast-breaking dinner from surrounding villages. Prayers are performed after the dinner. Locals pray for the well-being and prosperity of the Muslim world during prayers. People have talks among themselves after prayers. These activities, on one hand, create a spiritual atmosphere in Ramadan and contribute to the strengthening of religious beliefs among villagers who suffered from missionary activities during the communist rule on the other hand. 

Students distributed bags, needy villagers foodstuff

The IHH delivered aid to needy families in the Albanian village. Stationery materials like bags, notebooks, pencils, rulers and religious story books for children were distributed to 100 students in a village around Elbasan. The students were quite happy to get the bags. The foundation had also provided summer education to 46 students from the same village.

The IHH team also delivered foodstuff packages to 300 needy families in Zallrec. The families expressed their thanks to the benevolent Turkish citizens for providing the aid and the IHH for delivering it.

Albanians recovering

Muslims form 75 percent and Christians 25 percent of Albania’s three million population. Albania remained under the Ottoman rule for 437 years. Like other Balkan countries, Albania gained its independence from the Ottoman Empire and was declared as the first and sole atheist state in the world during the communist rule of Enver Hoxha between the years 1944 and 1991. A large portion of the population lived isolated from religion for two generations. Albanians are now trying to overcome bitter experiences of communism and recover.