Study Tour in Gjakova Region

After two eventful and informational days in Prishtina and Mitrovica region, we continued our third and last visit in the region of Gjakova, where we had the chance to learn more about three exciting enterprises.

We started the day at Bonevet Gjakova, an educational institution that encourages children, youngsters and adults to identify and develop talents and skills. There we were welcomed and shown around its premises by the managing director of the Gjakova branch, Mr. Arbër Lleshi. We got to learn more about the institution’s vision of nurturing youth’s creativity and imagination by channeling their inner talents and skills in developing their ideas through play and technology. This allowed us to have an open conversation on the importance of providing a safe environment where they can express their individuality and explore different fields of technology and art in a fun and enjoyable way, rather than simply pursuing academic validation. We also touched on the topic of encouraging and engaging youth to think about the positive impact they could have on protecting our planet and its nature.

Later on we continued our study tour, at Kulla Dula, one of Kosovo's oldest guesthouses, a 120 years old house run by the Dula family. Mr. Murteza Dula and Ms. Ferjalle Dula welcomed the diaspora professionals and showed them the unique interior of the guesthouse, which contains some really antique details and accessories. They also introduced us to their sustainable practices which they are implementing, in decreasing their own energy consumption and the promotion of green transport.

The tour concluded with a final stop at Kosovo Glass Recycling, one of the pioneer companies in glass recycling in Kosovo. Mr. Dugagjin Berisha, who is an enthusiastic environmentalist, established the firm out of love for nature and problem solving. He took us on a step-by-step tour of seeing the glass recycling process up close, and at the end showed us the products that they sell, which included tables, blocks, sand and tiles. We talked about the struggles they face as a business due to a lack of collection points and an insufficient understanding and culture of waste segregation in Kosovo.

These visits were part of the project funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora that gave diaspora professionals the opportunity to understand more about the strategies, goals, and business operations that our local enterprises have in place and opened the doors for further cooperation in the future.

This activity/report/publication was carried out within the Civic Engagement Program, which is implemented by the Kosovo Foundation for Civil Society (KCSF) in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Kosovo. GERMIN is a partner of KCSF in the implementation of this activity +6