By Rine Fetahu (YES 2013-2014, Kosovo, hosted by American Councils PO in Baton Rouge, LA)

YES alumni all over the world are known for their amazing project ideas and their creative ways of tackling problems in their communities. Through my position as an Alumni Coordinator, it is safe to say I have witnessed such phenomena first hand by working with YES alumni from Kosovo. I have seen many ideas turn into reality; ideas often challenging, but not impossible! What frequently starts off as a discussion at a monthly alumni meeting ends up being a YES alumni project that impacts and initiates change in the community.

On September 29-30, I witnessed the new alumni generation of 2017 from Kosovo develop their ideas from scratch in a two-day Project Development Training held in Prishtina. During these two days, Visar Zeka (YES ’15), Erris Boshnjaku (YES ’16) and I offered eight participants training, guidance, and tips on how to start a project and keep it sustainable.

At the beginning of the workshop, participants analyzed problems in their communities and shared these community dilemmas with the group.  Then they set visions, goals and objectives for their projects. On the second day, alumni moved on to concrete planning, identified teams, created action plans and budgets, and learned about evaluation.  Project ideas included an anti-bullying program for a high school in Prishtina, the creation of a book club in Gjakova, and weekly volunteering to teach English to children from vulnerable minority groups.

Despite enduring two days of intense work, the training was a lot of fun, especially during the team-building games!  Most importantly, participants left the training program with nine fully developed individual project ideas which will soon be implemented in cities across Kosovo, and with the knowledge that they are part of an amazing team: the YES alumni community!