IOM-Migration Stories: A Series of Life Cycle memoirs of Albanian Migrants

The stories of Albanians in migration are different. The circumstances they left the country, the obstacles, and challenges they went through, or the difficulties they encountered make each story unique. But many of them have the same message – to be informed about safe and regular migration. 

That’s why this July, we started the series of videos #HistoriMigracioni. A cycle of 28 real-life memoirs of Albanian migrants who returned to the country or migrated through regular paths.

Three of these stories are those of chef Alfred Marku, Etjen, and Robert and Enkeleda. 

From a young age, chef Alfred Marku from Lezha dreamed of a better life, which Albania of early 90’ could not offer him.

After a period of migration to Italy he returned to his hometown where he opened his own restaurant. Today he is 43 years old and one of the most successful chefs in Albania. Chef Alfred has tried both sides of the coin and in the end, he found the best in his country.

His message in this migration testimony is addressed to all Albanians advising them not to flee their country because Albania cannot be developed by itself.

Etjen has been seeking his fortune in Italy, Spain and as far away as the USA. After many years away from his homeland, he decided to return to Albania where life had reserved for him a beautiful surprise.

Thanks to his migration experiences, Etjen had gained enough skills to manage a successful business on his own. Today Etjen runs an artisanal beer factory in Pogradec with which he provides a good life for himself and many jobs for other residents in the area.

 “We often look for luck places far away, ignoring the opportunities that Albania can offers us.”

Spouses Robert and Enkeleda have a different migration history. Robert left for Germany after 1997, but his goal has always been to return to his homeland and open his own business here, near his family and loved ones.

The risk that Robert took by migrating without the right information had been quite big and he encountered many difficulties. When asked if he would act the same way again, he says that he could hardly act in the same way, advising all those who want to migrate to complete the necessary papers and not forgetting to love more their homeland. 

These stories are created as part of the “Albania is YOU!” awareness raising campaign, in the framework of the ARISE ALL project, co-funded by the European Union’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Migration Office of the Belgian Federal Office for Home Affairs, and the Repatriation and Deportation Service of the Netherlands.