Shoqata Kombetare e Jetimeve te Shqiperise

National Association of Orphans of Albania (ANOA) was created by a group of adult intellectual initiators themselves orphans in state institutions, which was approved by the Ministry of Education with the Decision no. 17, dated 25-11-1991, and since then it continues its activities for this target group. ANOA is decorated by the President of the Republic of Albania, with the "Medal of Gratitude". ANOA is present in three main government bodies, as a member with full rights in the Albanian Adoption Committee at the Ministry of Justice. ANOA is governed by the consequent bodies: • General Assembly constituted by all the membership of the organization. • Advisory board (as steering body) • Chairman/ President • 34 Local Branches ANOA is focused and dedicated in improving policies, institutional development and service provision. The final aim is the orphaned children and young people full integration in life, starting with equal opportunities and full access in quality education and training, social and cultural life, and support to housing and integration in the labor market. Its national status and participation in all level legislative and executive consultation bodies in the central and local level government make for an important and powerful advocacy and lobbying instrument to advance the issues related to our aims and objectives. Our target groups are divided in these categories : • Children without parental care living in state institutions. • Children without parental care living with their immediate families. Children and parents with one single parent families . • Widowed women with economic, social and integration difficulties. Our activities are divided as follows: Advocacy and lobbying activities for orphan children. (These are activities related especially to the "Law on Orphans" amendments to expand the number of children and young people through the change of orphan’s status, to include those with only one parent missing. ) Moreover, participation in many levels of governmental commissions involves work to protect housing, schooling and other services rights. Support to provide free school materials, stationery and books to ensure equal opportunities for orphans. Support with immediate food and clothes aids for families of orphaned kids on regular basis. An ongoing work with a national database with the needs coming from this groups. Implement projects to diversify the services provided to orphaned children and young people by involving provision of training in initial skills for Information Technology and Communication and support to integrate in the labor market through internship schemes in private companies. Efforts to be an official actor to supervise work and prevent violence in the state shelters where children without parental care are hosted.