Tirana, Albania—UPF-Albania helped to brighten the lives of 70 orphaned children, giving them school supplies and an entertainment program.
“Awareness Activity in Support of Orphaned Children” was the name of the program held on September 29, 2016, in the Aleks Buda Hall of the National Academy of Sciences.
To organize the program, UPF-Albania worked together with the Albanian chapter of Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), an affiliated organization, and with the cooperation of the National Institute for the Integration of Albanian Orphans.
This was the eighth year that the organizations had worked together to provide school supplies for the orphans. The supplies were purchased through a 40-day fundraising campaign by members of the two groups. As in previous years, the children were consulted as to which supplies they needed.
At the meeting, the date of which was chosen because of the UN International Day of Peace, there was a joyful atmosphere. The youthful volunteers who had dedicated their time and energy for the sake of the orphans offered heartfelt testimonies.
Ambassadors for Peace also were present, as well as members of the organizing groups. Sincere and hopeful messages were offered by Gaqo Apostoli, chair of UPF-Albania; Ilir Chumani, chair of the National Institute for the Integration of Albanian Orphans; Manjola Vasmatic, vice president of FFWPU-Albania; and Sanja Bako, leader of the fundraising team that provided the gifts for the children.
The joy felt by those present was visible as they enjoyed the two songs prepared with a lot of love from Mica Camara and Riza Santarin, students at the Universal Peace Academy in South Korea, and the dance performed enthusiastically by four young men who were visiting from Japan to assist FFWPU-Albania.