In Albania, rural youth are campaigning to solve local environmental problems

Nurbek Bekmurzaev · Global Voices · Creative Commons Attribution 3.0. Text excerpted and formatting simplified; media and third-party quotations excluded. No endorsement implied.

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Their petition to the authorities has already gathered over 500 signatures

This interview is part of a series of spotlights on the work of some of the grantees of the Digital Spark granting scheme, as part of the Regional Support Mechanism EECA project, implemented by the Metamorphosis Foundation and TechSoup, in partnership with CIVICUS and under the Digital Democracy Initiative (DDI) that covers the Global South. It is being published on Global Voices as part of a content-sharing agreement.

In rural parts of Albania, youth are seldom mobilized to help solve local environmental and other problems in their communities, although they, too, are affected by them. This has been the case in the eastern Korce region as well, which was hit by heavy rainfall and subsequent devastating floods in November 2025.

In the Maliq municipality, one of the affected areas, the situation was worsened by improper disposal of waste that blocked drainage channels, including the Devoll River, which flows through the area. Illegal waste disposal has obstructed the river’s infrastructure and contributed to widespread flooding. Despite efforts by the authorities to improve waste management and clean up the river, the situation has remained dire.

Waste accumulated at the Devoll River Bridge in Maliq, Albania. Photo from November 21, 2025 by Qendra KAZUS. Used with permission.

In 2026, a local non-governmental organization (NGO), Qendra KAZUS, recruited and trained local youth to help solve this long-standing issue by turning them into environmental advocates. Global Voices conducted an email interview with Dhorjela Cela, the group’s executive director, to learn about how Qendra KAZUS implemented a project that brought together youth, digital democracy, environmental challenges, and advocacy. The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Global Voices (GV): Please tell us about your organization and why you chose to get involved with the Digital Sparks project.

GV: What issue/challenge in your community prompted you to undertake this project?

GV: What are the key changes/activities that your organization implemented during your participation in the project?

GV: How did your participation in the project impact your organization’s beneficiaries and the community that you serve? Please provide examples.

GV: How has your own knowledge, awareness, and experience with digital democracy and civic space changed, thanks to your participation in the project?

GV: What are the most valuable lessons and experiences you are taking away from this project?

GV: What comes next? How will you apply the learning and digital capacity you have built in your future work and within your community?

Source: Global Voices ↗