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Reflection K-MDRI

Benjamin Ilse;
Student;
Jena / Germany

My expectations for my one month practical were to see how a society in a country like Kosovo deals with people having mental disabilities. Do they neglect them facing all the other urgent problems for example unemployment and the tensions between Serbians and Albanians? In my opinion it is like a mirror for a society how their weakest people are treated. Also I wanted to see the differences to
Germany.
During the first day at the office I got an advice that is really worthy of consideration. “Our members are with disability but they are not disabled people.”
During the meetings in Peja and Kacanik I learned what is really hidden behind the expression: peer support group meeting. The members were very interested in me as a German
student. The first moments after recognizing that we could not understand each other on the usual oral way, they were a bit confused. But it took no longer than a few
minutes than we have had a great conversation with hands and feet… so one of them gave me a great sightseeing tour trough Peja.

I have made a lot of experiences by observing the meetings. There was a caring company among the group members. They told me (via my great translator Yllka) that they never have had the chance to get friends before the support given to them by K- MDRI. They also told me about stigmatization and abuse by their families. In addition they were very happy to live like they do it now and often they
spoke about their future plans like creating a family or find a job…
Then I got the chance to get another view inside the relation between people with mental disability and the Kosovar Society.
Before I visited the only special mental institution in Kosovo in Shtime I saw documentations about the situation there in 2002. This was really horrible regarding the hygiene and the condition of the patients.
peer support group meeting in Peja As I told my Kosovar friends about my intention to visit Shtime they were really shocked. “What do you want there” and “It is a shameful place for Kosova” are the comments I got to hear.
The reality in this mental institution was not as bad as I had seen it in the documentations. But I understand why K- MDRI tries to show the needlessness of the institution and says that it is better for the patients and thus for the society to integrate them and not to lock them in.

In conclusion I would say that I have made a lot of great experiences with K-MDRI and I am assured that peer support group meetings are an effective way to deal with people with mental disability.
Thanks a lot to the Project Staff Yllka, Zamira and Mjellma!