Fighting Poverty in Albania | ARTE.tv Documentary

25-year-old Refxhei Tola spends her free time volunteering in Albania, one of the poorest countries in Europe. Recent years have seen a small decrease in poverty, and Tola is convinced that it's a result of the work of the volunteers of her foundation, who have helped thousands of families in dire need.

Fighting Poverty in Albania | ARTE.tv Documentary
🗓 Available until 27/05/2025

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[artetvdocumentary]

For more on this topic, check out our previous documentary 'Albania Faces its Dark Past'.

For nearly 50 years Albania lived under perhaps Europe’s harshest communist dictatorship with omnipresent surveillance, imprisonments, and executions. Today the country has chosen to open up the archives of the feared state police, the Sigurmi. Are Albanians ready to face up to a difficult past?

[tomorrowneverdies]

I wish happiness and health to our Albanian neighbors from Greece GR❤AL

[klodiantafa]

I didn't imagine that in my country there were families in such extreme conditions, or maybe because on the one hand I don't have the courage to look, congratulations, many compliments to the girls who help, they do their best.❤️

[Beeoriginal]

Germany, France, EU, US, come here and shake hands with Albanian Primeminister, say good words about him, say how good of a job he is done, whileeee, at the same time, every report from EU or Independent specialized agencies say CORRUPTION in Albania is Sky high and it is shown as the whole ruling class is either in prison or wanted from law, Media freedom its at its lows, jobs at their lows, in these last 10 years more than 500.000 albanians have left the country, there are more deaths than births, meaning Albania is dying ... and whats the worst HOPE HAS DIED YEARS AGO.
So, please, stop with these Charity Foundations, Albanians dont need that, we need serious, truthful partnership from EU countries NOT CHARITY.

[ElevateMusic]

Very inaccurate translations of what people say..

[gamal-nasser]

glad to see a follow up of the story from many months ago

[ouradventures]

There is poverty in Albania, but you are going out finding and presenting a very extreme image which does not apply to the majority of people in Albania. Even in western european countries you can find countless cases of extreme poverty and people who are extremely unlucky or unable to make the best out of their conditions. Although it is good remembering there are people who live like this in our countries and we should strive to help them through goverment measures. In the case of Albania I think what is really important is to show how far that country has come from the 1990s in just 3 decades. I visited that country back then and they have achieved an incredible amount of stuff in such a sort time. Back then it was like there was no hope at all (literally), there was poverty of a level unimaginable, but now what you see in Albania is far better and more optimistic in comparison to their bleak disposition back then. All that in only 3 decades. I implore you to search more on Albania in the 90s and see how the vast majority in that country lives today in comparison to then and you will understand how misinforming actually your mini-documentary is of the reality in Albania.

[lameguduzaku]

Refxhei is a very beautiful and compassionate girl!!

[lameguduzaku]

Translation is not good, the name of the charity is supposed to be "A Different Weekend"

[virtual_travel_worldwide]

danke für den beitrag. Ich wusste nicht, dass es in albanien teilweise noch solche Armut gibt. 😪 Habe es nur als tourist kennen und lieben gelernt

[thepuci]

The villager said he has a debt of 500 Euros not 50 Euros.😉

[ballistmorina]

The only poverty that exists in our country is infrastructure, which is the result of the total lack of interest on the part of our government.
Choosing to live in those corners of Albania is a will of the people, but when they don't have the infrastructure to reach the center and do business, the situation becomes desperate.
In any case, I appreciate the commitment of these volunteers in helping people recover from those conditions!


Urime dhe pergzime vullnetareve dhe Refxheit n'veçanti!
🇦🇱🤝🇦🇱

[armandokoshena]

Well, the difference between us and politicans is that we are getting more poor and they are getting more rich

[USMKE]

What foundation is it?I would like to take part of it.❤

[freespiritable]

This is very rare in Albania. Poverty exists but you'll rarely find an unkept house and poorly clothed folks. For the sole reason we love to keep up appearances. We won't eat but our house will have all required commodities and be presentable. Same for clothes. People will buy second hand but they'll be clothed. Whenever there are images like this is because social assistance doesn't work. Albanian poor might need help in fixing their house, need food, need a job training. You can see this house is being built, if you really want to help them, send building materials.

[Mondey]

Ich würde sehr gerne etwas für diese Familien spenden ist ja herzzerreißend

[torbenslotymckay]

Zeigt doch mal die Armut im Frankfurter Bahnhofsviertel

[DonnellOkafor-rd]

Poor woman. 1.5 years isnt enough for what she endured.

[surimani]

There is a lot of poor people in uk 🇬🇧 as well

[uneti]

But there are azians working in Albania and very happy with the wages! Some Albanian families are trapped in the misory of communism, it is a state of mind, but there is plenty of opportunity for work and movement in Albania, in every corner! How can you be poor owning all that land around you? No my friend, work!
I am from Kosovo, everything was burned up dueing the war, we returned to a burnt house, we planted all the land we had, we educated everyone with that land, today I am a lawyer, my wife is a teacher, and after work, we go out in the fields and we plant cabbages, peopers, and other veggies; it gives us more than what we get from our salaries! I see 5 adults sitting therewaiting for help, get the hell up! glad this doesnt represent a big percentage of Albanians from Albania, there are some great and smart people hard wokring people I know, and they contribute a great deal to Albanian economy and its cultural life!