Breaking Barriers: Klodiana’s Journey to Confidence and Inclusion in Gjirokastra

Klodiana*, a young girl from Gjirokastra knows what it means to live in silence. For much of her life, her motor disability kept her on the sidelines - watching others move, laugh, and participate in daily activities, while she often withdrew into her own world of fear and hesitation. Despite the love of her family, Klodiana felt the overwhelming weight of isolation.

Things began to change for better when she engaged with the specialists of the Zinxhira Community Social Center, supported by the EU4SocialCare program. As the professionals and social services arrived at her doorstep, Klodiana began to rediscover her mobility, as well as her voice. 

Through this EU-funded program, UNICEF and World Vision Albania have been working hand in hand with the Municipality of Gjirokastra and partner organization IRCA (Institute of Romani Culture in Albania) to strengthen community-based services in the area. This joint effort means that Klodiana and other persons with disabilities can now receive a tailored program of physiotherapy and psychological support, right at the comfort and privacy of their home.

What Klodiana and many others need is a safe space to believe in themselves again. With the right support, she is beginning to open-up and claim her life back with renewed hope.

 said the therapist who attends to the case.

Step by step, her physiotherapy sessions helped her regain balance, strength, and confidence in her body. At the same time, counseling sessions provided support to confront her fears, express her emotions, and reconnect with the world around her. Creative exercises - like writing and drawing - gave her new ways to express herself and feel recognized and validated.

And indeed, the change is clear. Klodiana has started to join some activities at the Zinxhira Community Social Center and is preparing to further take part in group rehabilitation activities. Her days are brighter, her movements stronger, and her voice more confident.

Klodiana’s journey is not just her own. It reflects what happens when strong partners join forces to strengthen Albania’s social services. Their partnership ensures that persons with disabilities are not left behind, but rather supported to live with joy, dignity, and independence.
For Klodiana, the path forward is full of new beginnings - more engagement with peers, more creative expression, and, most importantly, more confidence in her own abilities. For her community, her story is a reminder that inclusive services can change lives and open doors long thought closed.

The project “Strengthening the Capacities of the Zinxhira Community Social Center to Provide Specialized and Inclusive Services for Communities in Need in Gjirokastra,” is carried out by the Municipality of Gjirokastra in partnership with IRCA, under the EU4SocialCare program.

This program is funded by the European Union, implemented by UNICEF Albania and World Vision Albania, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection.

*The name of the beneficiary has been changed/adjusted to protect their privacy.