a man from albania named julian is holding his child and receiving a pack of qurbani meat from islamic relief

Albania: Your Qurbani bringing joy to families like Julian’s

Julian Liku, 44, lives with his elderly mother Flutura’s in Ura e Vjetër e Bunës an area near Shkodra in northern Albania. His wife Dorina, 39 and their five children also live in the old dilapidated house.

The conditions are as you see them yourself. When it rains, what falls outside also falls inside. We sleep on couches, because we don't have beds. Here we stay, here we eat, here we sleep.

Julian earns a wage by collecting empty tin cans from rubbish dumps. He sells the cans to be able to buy food for his children.

Children want to eat, they don't want to know if we have or not, they ask for bread. Sometimes with bread and many times without bread. My heart cries when they ask for some chocolates or bunnies and I don't even have five cents in my pocket.

Julian’s mother’s pension, which is just under £65 per month, pays for the water, gas and electricity in their humble home.

Image: Julian's mother preparing Qurbani meat.

My wife and I wear and eat what we find in the garbage, because we are sorry to give this to our children.

“We live with more difficulty; we have many shortages. Alhamdulillah we have health, but with these conditions and the opportunities we have, health will leave us very soon”, he says.

Julian says he caught Covid twice during the pandemic which has now destroyed his lungs.

“I am only 44 years old, I feel tired and exhausted as if I were 74. I can’t afford medicine, how can I? I have children without bread, they need to go to school, they need books, notebooks and pencils like their friends.”

While the wife of the head of the family and his sister together with the IR staff prepare the meat for cooking

Image: Julian's wife and his sister together with the Islamic Relief staff prepare the Qurbani meat for cooking.

The Qurbani meat packages were warmly welcomed by Julian and his family.

“We are in such a difficult situation that a grain of rice seems like a lot to us. When I received the package, I felt relieved, my first thought was that I will have delicious food for the family, and my second thought was that Insha’Allah no one lacks food on the table”, says Julian.

While Julian’s wife and sister cook the meat and plate it up for the children, he reminds them that:

Eid ul-Adha Is the feast of sacrifice. He who can sacrifice an animal like a cow or sheep for the sake of Allah should donate a portion of the meat to the poor like us. Let’s pray to Allah SWT and make Du’a that this meat will never be missing from the table to the one who gives it to us and no others. Amin Ya Rabb.

Julian's family enjoying the Qurbani meat

Image: Julian's family enjoying the cooked Qurbani meat distributed by Islamic Relief

Thank you for your generous donations which are a lifeline for families like Julian’s. Find out more about our Quality Assured Qurbani programme here.

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