Bored, directionless, semi-literate, with limited employment prospects… teenagers find little reason for hope on the streets of Bathore.

Global Care's EJA Centre (EJA means 'Welcome') makes a crucial difference in this disadvantaged community. Unlike the streets around it, EJA is an exciting place. It's innovative, effective, and has a huge impact.

We discovered most street children in Tirana came from Bathore. It made sense to work here, tackling root problems of poverty, ignorance and lack of education or training. Helping young people before they take to the streets of the big city.

A beacon of hope

In just seven years the EJA Centre has become a beacon of hope for Bathore.

Core activities include vocational training and leisure and learning activities for young people. We are also helping families through empowering women. Many mums attend our women's group, discussing issues like health care, child protection and domestic violence.

People – especially young people - are learning life skills and growing in confidence.

Now EJA's innovative work is spreading outside the walls of our centre

Global Care has developed a number of initiatives in partnership with Bathore’s 1200-pupil primary school, including Anti-Violence workshops for all teachers and students.

These ground-breaking workshops won acclaim from the Albanian Ministry of Education, which also supported another initiative; exam classes for older school drop-outs. In Albania, young people cannot re-sit their final primary exams after the age of 16. Yet without them, prospects for further education and employment are blighted forever.

After intensive lobbying, the government allowed us to run literacy and numeracy classes for older teens, and allowed them to re-sit this vital exam.

It's a first for Albania, and a first for Global Care - and it could change the lives of thousands of young people forever.

Our work is recognised as a model of good practice – showing local people and local authorities that there is a way forward.

There is so much more we could do. But we can’t do it alone. Can you help?

Make a one-off gift

• £500 funds a three-month tailoring course for teenage girls
• £150 provides tuition for a teenager to re-sit the primary leaving exam
• £50 pays for one child to attend Play & Learn for a year
• £20 allows a teenager to complete a basic computer course

Become a project partner

As our work develops, there are so many ways we can make a difference. Your monthly gift of £12 gives us flexibility to reach out further.

Make a donation or become a Project Partner.

Picking up threads

14-year-old Cakaja works in a car wash.

His widowed mother doesn't work, and his three younger siblings need whatever he can provide.

Cakaja dropped out of school. He doesn't know what he wants from life, but he knows he doesn't want to be at the car wash forever.

Cakaja is now attending Global Care's EJA Centre. He's trying to kick-start his education again and wants help with vocational training.

It's the only way Cakaja's life will change for the better.

Albania at a glance

• Former communist state with mixed ethnicity and religion
• Population: 3.2 million (UN 2005)
• One of Europe’s poorest countries: over 30% population below poverty line
• Water, power, communications, road and rail infrastructure old and deteriorating.
• Illegal / makeshift construction common.