Hanging With the Kosovo Youth Volunteers
Aug 27, 2013
By Alec Alaka’i Miller
Me in Prizren
The Shropshire Music Foundation is an amazing program and we are all so grateful for having been invited to participate in it. The foundation is doing wonderful things here in Kosovo and no doubt is having significant effects in its other programs in Northern Ireland and Uganda. The program hopes to be a bright spot in the lives of those who participate in it; and help support youth for a better future.
Yuri and Chantel Helping Teach Singing Class
Here we have had the opportunity to meet with the local volunteers and work with them to develop their teaching skills. Being a volunteer can be rigorous and time consuming but the benefits afforded to those volunteers and their pupils; is immeasurable. I am consistently astounded by each volunteers’ personal dedication not only to the program but their love for each other and each of the students they teach. Many of them have worked their way through the program learning music and a variety of instruments for years and are now using that training to help others.
Not only does the program aim to teach music, but to build confidence and character of each child while putting a smile from ear to ear on their face. Each of the volunteers that teach these children, and keep the program moving, is so unique and special with their amazing personalities. We’ve been repeatedly amazed by them, and we are doing our best to contribute by teaching the volunteers games and lessons. We hope these lessons can be used to help grow a healthy culture of trust, cooperation, and honesty that will have a perpetually positive effect on the students and eventually Kosovo as a whole.
In Prizren With the Kosovo Youth Volunteers
A saying that I’ve always liked is “it takes a whole village to raise a child,” because it shows the responsibility we all have to look after the most vulnerable members of our communities. Here the volunteers are involved in creating a brighter future for the children of Kosovo. The Shropshire Music Foundation, and those whose charitable contributions keep the program running, have had an amazing effect on the lives of the local volunteers. These volunteers have now turned around to help the next group of children who enter the program. Our lives have also been touched; we’ve made great friends and learned so much through our training with Liz. As long as this program continues it will surely be an asset to Kosovo’s future and life altering to those who contribute to its future success.
Sarah Dancing Karate With Kids After Singing Class
So far Yuri and Chantel are doing well working to keep our classes under control and focused on the task at hand.
Sarah on the other hand lets loose after class by dancing and what seems to be karate moves with the kids.
I’m still trying to get the Albanian language down but I’m still a little lost and confused.