Albania's Bleak Situation

At the end of 2005, the United Nations World Food Programme will phase out its operations in Albania (www.wfp.org). Compared to needy countries in Africa and Asia, it’s hard for WFP to justify using its scarce resources in a European country, even if it is one of the poorest. The web site states that in 2002, Albania’s per capita income was $1,230. The communist government ended in 1981. Then in 1997, the economy collapsed along with pyramid financial schemes in which two-thirds the population had invested their money. To add to the pressure, refugees from Kosovo spilled across the border in 1999. There were oil fields in Albania, but they have been closed down, and all the workers are unemployed. The main industry of agriculture suffers from droughts and archaic machinery. The instability discourages investment from surrounding European countries. As a result, one-fifth of the population has emigrated. Albanians are highly dependent on money sent by relatives working in Greece and Italy. Unemployment is extremely high, and many people rely on a $30 per month handout from the government. Some regions are worse off than others. In the northern mountainous region, half the population lives in poverty.

Rebecca Martinez, a WFP intern in Albania, reported in her E-Card on the conditions she witnessed. Walking through the streets of town, she noticed the outdoor cafes packed with men during the day. That is because there is no employment, and they have nothing to do. The men often are able to pick up only two to three days’ work per month, and the family must live on the government handout. Women buy what their families need at the store by running up credit. They can’t take their kids to the store, because their kids will want things they cannot afford to buy. People cannot afford rent, so they become squatters in abandoned warehouses, tool sheds, and other buildings. Often, they can’t afford electricity even if it is available in the building. They use outhouses and get their water from pumps. These facilities are shared with other families.

The WFP launched its food program in 1997 after the collapse of the pyramid schemes. It had to launch a new program in 1999 because of the refugee problem. These were emergency operations, and they were never intended to become permanent. Other NGOs operating in Albania are looking for donors, but they are not having much luck. With so many situations in the world looking so much more dramatic, there isn’t much interest in helping the impoverished but not totally desperate Albanians. When the WFP pulls out, the situation will just get a little bleaker.