Disaster Relief, Development and Community Service  

Micro-Credit, English Classes and a Kindergarten in Bathore

On the outskirts of Tirana is Bathore, a settlement which is populated by people who migrated from the North of Albania when state-run enterprises collapsed following the end of communism. Many of the 25,000 residents of Bathore live in extreme poverty (see photo gallery). Members of AMURT  are helping Bathore residents with a micro-credit program aimed at providing badly needed income to the area. English classes for children and adults and most recently, a kindergarten serving 80 children of sector 6.

The micro-credit program  provides small loans to individuals and groups of Bathore residents who wish to expand small businesses. 

The English classes are given free of charge and school age students and young adults are attending.

In Bathore there is only one public school, working in three shifts, serving an area with approximately 25,000 inhabitants. There is an acute shortage of kindergarten places. In October 2000 AMURT opened a kindergarten in sector six. The kindergarten began with 40 students, in two shifts, and recently a second classroom was added making it possible to take another 40 students.

The kindergarten offers a full academic program encompassing the standard program of Albanian schools. In addition it is enriched with teaching materials from the Neo Humanist system of education which consists of music, arts, physical exercise and creative activities designed to develop the physical, mental and intuitive capacities of the children.

   More than 30 businesses  have 
received loans from the micro-credit program.

One of the classes at the kindergarten.

Find out how you can  support these activities by clicking here. 

AMURT (Albania), P.O. Box 1706, Tirana, Albania
            Tel: and fax: (355) 42 26825, mobile: 038 2029527
This page updated on October 19, 2001. Copyright 2001 Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team (Albania)