By Jona Fani (YES 2014-2015, Albania, placed with PAX in De Pere, WI)

Over Orthodox Easter weekend, Krista Spahillari (YES 2019-2020, Albania, placed with CIEE in Kierney, MO), Serena Canka (YES 2019-2020, Albania, placed with ASSE in Lamar, MO), and Kejsi Telhaj (YES 2019-2020, Albania, placed with AFS in Lake View, NY) organized an Easter egg hunt for local kids in Permet. Easter egg hunts are a traditional Easter activity for kids in the U.S., and by organizing this event, the alumnae shared a piece of American culture with the children.

This activity was organized in collaboration with the Permet Youth Council, which was founded earlier this year by the three alumnae. The goal of the council is to engage local youth through volunteerism and monthly community-related activities. As of the writing of this article, the council has organized five community development projects in Permet.

The Easter egg hunt took place in the city’s main public park, and over 30 third- and fourth-graders took part. They were split up into small groups to maintain distance and follow COVID-19 guidelines. The children had fun finding the hidden sweets and eggs and enjoyed learning about this American tradition.