The Rilindja Community Center is being developed for Pastor Jeton Sokoli’s church community in Gjakova. Jeton has been working as a pastor for many years. We have come to know him as a passionate man with a heart for his people. This active community cares for vulnerable people and provides practical help wherever possible. The construction of this new community center offers enormous possibilities. In addition to church services, there will also be space for children’s and youth work, language and music lessons, guest accommodation, and a large (cooking) kitchen.
CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS
Construction has begun! Pastor Jeton and his wife Flaviona, stakeholders in Kosovo, and we at NDI all needed a lot of patience. But after years of preparation, setbacks, and waiting for a usable plot of land and a building permit, the new multifunctional center in Gjakova is now finally being built. During a festive ceremony in the fall of 2024, the first stone was cast in concrete.
Since then, construction has been progressing steadily. We expect to be able to officially open the building during the business trip in October 2025.
Sindsdien gaat de bouw gestaag verder. Tijdens de businesswisereis in oktober 2025 verwachten we het gebouw officieel te kunnen openen.
VULNERABLE GROUPS
The ROK Church (Rebirth Of Kosova) focuses on vulnerable groups in society. It provides assistance to orphans, homeless people, street children, and members of minority groups such as the Roma. Roma children attend school for only a short time and are easy targets for human trafficking, child labor, street begging, and prostitution. In addition, the church focuses on the elderly and cares for widows who lost their husbands during the Kosovo war at the end of the last century. Their pension of €75 per month is not enough to cover rent, food, and medication. Many of the younger generation are leaving Kosovo, sometimes leaving their parents behind without care and sufficient finances.
We are enthusiastically helping Pastor Jeton to fulfill his dream: his own center to support vulnerable people through meals, education, and love!