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Report - Rebuilding war torn Kosovo
The Kosovo area of the Balkans has been an embattled area through history for many many years. The Art of Living Foundation in Kosovo has been involved in bringing aid to post-war Kosovo since early post war days, delivering material aid soon after the end of the conflict, and since then aiding in the province in conflict resolution, assisting victims with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and teaching them AOL Stress Management Program. AOLF Kosovo has accomplished numerous service and education programs that vary from stress management and rehabilitation to conflict resolution and service projects. Since the year 2000, the Art of Living Foundation has helped thousands of Kosovars through various humanitarian activities and personal rehabilitation. The Art of Living volunteers supported by the IAHV UK have dedicated their time and energy to help Kosovars rebuild their lives through following projects.
From early post war days (year 2000) till now, 700 Disabled KLA Veterans and war victims from Skenderaj, Glogovc, Prizren, Djakova and Pristina have taken AOL trauma relief programs. Most of them were Disabled Kosovo Liberation Army Veterans, massacre witnesses, torture victims and people suffering from PTSD. Based on their positive experiences, Ministry of Health has integrated AOL Program as part of local mental health system.
After successful implementation of AOL Program in 7 Mental Health Centersall over Kosovo (Prizren, Pristina, Djakova, Peja, Mitrovica, Ferizaj and Gjilan), where 120 medical professionals have benefited through AOL Stress Management Program in the year 2004, Ministry of Health and University Clinical Center of Kosovo has signed the agreement with AOL Kosovo about further implementation of AOL Program in all hospitals of Kosovo . The first phase of the project will involve 3000 health care professionals from all the fields, 1456 medical students and patients as well in 16 University Hospitals of Kosovo. The project has started in the year 2006 and is still going on. 200 medical professionals from University Hospitals in Pristina have already taken AOL stress management program so far.
The AOL Program has a great potential to promote healing from post traumatic stress syndrome and to empower women to rebuild their own lives as well as those of theirfamilies. Mental trauma of rape victims in particular, is difficult to treat. Accounts from actual victims are nearly impossible to find. The shame that keeps rape victims silent even in the West is especially acute among Muslim families.
Since the early post war days till today, the Art of Living has involved 180 women in AOL Workshop that took place in Pristina, Prizren, Peja and Djakovica, and it has helped them to alleviate the shame, guilt, sense of isolation and distrust. The AOL program provides survivors with a method of treatment and intervention that is self contained, personal, private and learned as a like group of traumatized individuals.
In cooperation with Mother Theresa Association in Pristina , AOL has conducted workshops for 105 course participants from Plemetina camp in Plemetina in the year 2003. The course participants were displaced Albanians, Serbs and Roma people who went through war traumas, AOL program has relieved mental trauma of war victims in Kosovo and has been found to be highly effective. The experiences speak for themselves to show the effectiveness of the AOL Program in the filed of rehabilitation and prevention and development of human values.
Since the year 2004 , 800 police officers from Special Police Unites of the United Nation Mission in Kosovo have successfully completed AOL Stress Management Program in Pristina, Peja, Prizren and Mitrovica. The AOL program has helped the police officers to reduce negative effects of stress. AOL program has given them psycho-hygienic activity which does not stigmatize the police officers as patients or people with problems.
Prison Smart in Kosovo has started with pilot workshop in November 2004 in Lipljan prison and has continued in 2005 and 2006 with the support of IAHV UK. Every week, prison staff and prisoners (Serbs, Albanians, Bosnians, Turkish and Roma people) are completing Prison Smart in Lipjan, Dubrava, Peja, Prizren, Gilan, Mitrovica and Pristina prison. 1500 people have taken the Multi-Ethnic Workshops in 7 prisons. Positive transformations that are happening have made the Department of Justice in Kosovo to open the door for the AOL program in all the prisons.
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AOL program has the potential to REDUCE CONFLICT and anger in any conflict resolution setting, and especially in the stressful conditions such as prisons.
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AOL program has provided the prisoners with the opportunity of a GENUINE REHABILITATION for them and a basis for SELF-EMPOWERMENT and increased self-esteem, ultimately leading to a useful life beyond prison and abuse.
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AOL program has given strength to prison staff as well as coping skills needed to best serve and prevent burn-out.
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All the workshops were MULTI-ETHNIC WORKSHOPS, because the Albanian, Serbian and Roma nationals employed in Lipljan prison have participated in the training and have benefited greatly from the AOL breathing techniques. Their experiences show that the AOL program has helped them to increase focus, life energy and to RE-OPEN CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION and to IMPROVE INTER-ETHNIC DIALOGUE.
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At the beginning of each workshop, the Albanian group was sitting on one side of the hall and the Serbs and Roma group on the other side. And every course ended with the feeling of belongingness and with course participants singing together Albanian, Serbian and Roma songs.
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Their relationships have improved so much in the warm atmosphere that has been created during the course. The Serbs and Roma nationals were always less in number, but the Albanians were taking good care of them, and making them feel as part of the group.
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Reduced Tensions between so called “ UNIFORMED STAFF (correctional officers)” and “ CIVIL STAFF (administration)”. The workshops have brought the two groups together and helped them to drop the barriers caused by lack of understanding and lack of communication.
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Women Prisoners had the greatest interest and focus on the workshop and gratitude for the knowledge. Their sentences are heavy, from 10 to 32 years of prison. They were so relieved after breathing exercises and group processes. Aferdita, young girl sentenced to 19 years of prison said that the course was the best thing in her life and she started to cry because it was the last day of the course. We all started to cry and the atmosphere of trust and love created among the women has continued after the course. Ganimete, mother of 7 children who killed her husband because he was beating and abusing her, has called her parents to tell them how better and stronger she felt after the course.
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Mentaly Disturbed Prisoners have also participated in special Prison Smart program . Correctional officers who have been looking after them, could not believe with their eyes when they saw prisoners sitting patiently and breathing, forgetting about smoking, laughing like children during group processes and feeling lighter and happier.
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Jouveniel Deliquents have shown the greatest change in behavior after the Prison Smart course. Those who were the most rebellious at the beginning of the course, turned out to be the most cooperative and with the best experiences. The most depressive faces became the brightest ones. A boy who killed his father (his father used to beat him and torture him), was so depressed at the beginning of the course, but after two days, he became one of the most cheerful boys in the group. Again, the correctional officers who work with them, could not believe when they so some of the boys being so happy, enthusiastic and friendly.
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Most of course participants have had the experience of deep rest, relaxation, better sleep, less need for cigarettes and inner peace and happiness.
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We ended up many workshops singing Roma songs, Serbian songs and Albanian songs. Many of the course participants reported at the end that some barriers among colleges have been dropped thanks to the workshop and they are enthusiastic to cherish friendship with their colleges after the course as well. We were deeply touched with the interest of the prisoners, their focus on the workshop and gratitude for the knowledge. |