A Powerful Look Inside… STREHA in Tirana, Albania

Exclusive Interview by Karen Beishuizen
Photos courtesy of STREHA

Since its establishment in December 2014, STREHA has been a source of hope and strength for Albanian LGBTI+ youth. It emerged as the first non-publicly run residential center dedicated to providing sanctuary and support to LGBTI+ individuals in Southeast Europe. Its opening back in 2014 represented an important turning point in Albania’s LGBTI+ rights battle. The primary focus of “Streha” is the empowerment and reintegration into society of at-risk youth within the LGBTI+ community (aged 18 to 29). Being a member of the LGBTIQ+ community in Albania often is associated with a lot of obstacles. Coming from a very communist regime, Albania is still facing the problems of transitions in both, political and social areas, within the presence of a very homophobic mentality. In 2024, Streha has accomplished a decade of providing direct services for more than 200 LGBTIQ+ individuals.

KB: Describe to the RSR readers how Streha was founded and by who?

“Streha” Center was initially started as a pilot project of two Non-Profit Organizations, Aleanca LGBTI and United Pro LGBT Cause, supported by the tireless work and contribution of enthusiastic activists and early-day allies of the LGBTIQ+ community in Albania. It marked the first institutionalized response to the hostile environment that surrounded and keeps affecting heavily the LGBTIQ+ community in Albania. Its opening back in 2014 represented an important turning point in Albania’s LGBTIQ+ rights battle. After that, on December 2015, Streha was registered as an independent NGO providing services such as accommodation for young adults from the LBTIQ+ community from 18 – 29 years old and other multidisciplinary services.

The primary focus of “Streha” is the empowerment and reintegration into society of at-risk youth within the LGBTI+ community (aged 18 to 29). The service is provided in the capital city of Albania, Tirana. However, it is not limited to the country and often offers shelter services to youth from neighboring countries who speak Albanian, such as Kosovo or Macedonia. In 2024, Streha has accomplished a decade of providing direct services for more than 200 LGBTIQ+ individuals.

KB: What does STREHA mean or stand for?

Streha comes from the Albanian dictionary, meaning home. The motivation for STREHA’s creation reflects the terrible reality faced by Albania’s LGBTIQ+ community, in a country where strong homophobic and transphobic beliefs are still prevalent to this day and where the majority of LGBTIQ+ people have experienced domestic abuse and discrimination. Locked doors, intercepted texts, and familial rejection portrays a bleak picture for many queer individuals, highlighting the critical need for safe havens such as STREHA. By being “home”, Streha provides tranquility for its beneficiaries to help them maintain their emergency and provide the feeling of belonging. The aim of “Streha” is to empower and assist LGBTI+ individuals, mainly youth, through its multidisciplinary and residential services, capacity-building of service providers, public awareness, and advocacy, in order to overcome barriers and difficulties faced by the LGBTIQ+ community in families and society.

KB: How and with what does your shelter support LGBTQ young people?

The main mission of “Streha” Center is to support LGBTIQ+ youth through multidisciplinary programs and services that empower these youngsters to overcome the barriers and difficulties faced by family and society with the aim of integrating them as equals in society. By saying so, Streha has a variety of services that are offered for each individual who needs help. Every case is different and the services that we provide depends on the individual needs and assessments of it. Streha offers vital residential assistance to young people who have experienced discrimination, abuse, and exclusion because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Streha supports through emergency safe housing, basic needs, food, job market integration, psychological and legal counseling, family mediation, medical aid, and life skills to make a change and empower one of the most marginalized groups in Albania. Our psycho–social team, supports each case by delivering affirmative services and encouraging self-awareness and self-advocacy.

KB: What are the reasons the people end up in your shelter?

Being a member of the LGBTIQ+ community in Albania often is associated with a lot of obstacles. Coming from a very communist regime, Albania is still facing the problems of transitions in both, political and social areas, within the presence of a very homophobic mentality. For a lot of youngsters, coming out is a process that causes abandonment, discrimination, and violence from family, relatives, and community in general. While facing the double life, the opportunities for these youngsters to have a sustainable workplace become harsher while the job market becomes harsher. The increase of discrimination, violence, and exclusion from families are the main reasons why youngsters become part of Streha. Living in rural areas or in small towns makes it even harsher for them to blend with others, and the stigmatization is much higher than in the capital of Albania. While being homelessness, and in crisis Streha is a warm house to help them overcome their emergency and fears.

KB: What are the different programs you run in your shelter?

Streha operates through 5 main programs explained as below:

Residential service program, through residential service and the mission of the center, this program works directly to empower the cases by multidisciplinary services while addressing the immediate need for security, safety, and companionship for members of the LGBTIQ+ community. Streha answers immediately to LGBIQ+ young adults need for housing by assuring not only safe accommodation but by fulfilling their basic as well.

Distance support program is the remote support program, that has another important focus on the lives of LGBTIQ+ youth, by offering an elevated need for independence and re-integration. This program is designed to assist the cases that are no longer part of the accommodation program but receive all the other multidisciplinary services such as psycho–social counselling, vocational courses, family or medical mediation, legal help, and other services according to the need of the individual.

Capacity building, is dedicated to working closely with service providers by strengthening the knowledge and skills of professionals, through training, workshops, and discussion panels. This program aims to build a friendly environment by increasing the collaboration between professionals in the NGOs sector, public or private sector, and businesses.

Public Awareness, this program aims to raise awareness for the rights of the LGBTIQ+ in society with the mission of working for a more open society for LGBTIQ+ community. Through it, the program is constantly working on behalf of sharing information about the rights and terminology of LGBTIQ+ within the mission of fighting Hate Speech, and by raising the collaboration between institutions, both public and private, NGOs and raising awareness for the family members of LBGTIQ+ individuals.

Advocacy program aims to improve the legal framework related to the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community. On the same hand the contribution of “Streha” is being shown in the set of legislation for the violence against LGBTIQ+ by enforcing the politics and laws for offering protection for the rights of the community. GALA event, is the most important one throughout the year, an event that serves also as a fundraising event, to gather allies and stakeholders to strengthen the collaboration for improving the quality of life for LGBTIQ+ individuals.

KB: How long can the people stay at your shelter and do you help them find accommodation outside?

Streha offers support by accommodating the cases in the residential center, and within the whole package of services as mentioned previously. Through the accommodation program, the individuals are supported for a period of up to 6 months. During the accommodation process, the psycho–social team and the cases are constantly working on providing soft skills on leaving independently, and one of the skills is equipping them with the ability to search for a housing alternative. The distance program is essential for when the individuals exit the residential center and then keep working on their independence and integrity.

KB: Is LGBTQ legal in Albania or do the people face persecution?

The year 1995 was a significant milestone for the LGBTIQ+ community in Albania, as it marked the decriminalization of homosexual acts, by removing the 10-year prison sentence from the Penal Code. Even though this change was made 29 years ago, the homophobic environment is often a reason for hate speech, discrimination, violence, and aggravated mental health, due to the absence of acceptance for the LBGTIQ+ community.

KB: What can the world and humans do to make it a safer world for LGBTQ people?

Advocacy and capacity building are some of the programs that Streha uses to help raise awareness of LGBTIQ+ issues. Being informed and using the right terminology sometimes is one of the easiest things to do, to help LGBTIQ+ individuals feel welcomed and safer in their community. On the same hand, emphasizes the inclusivity, protection, and pleading given by the Conventions of Human Rights. Anyone who chooses to love no matter the gender/sex, and everyone whose choice is to live, laugh, and work are normal human rights, applied to every single human being. Sometimes the misinformation provides the wrong conception that LGBTIQ+ is fighting for extra rights, while the main message is to fight for dignity and decent human rights.

Check out Streha’s website for more information: HERE

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