Pogradec, Albania is currently designated as a COVID-19 hot spot, and high schools throughout the city have been all online for the past two weeks. Last week, elementary and middle schoolers also stayed home and participated in their classes online.

Nehemia School students were among those who had to stay home. Thanks to NG's donors, students at the high school experienced substantially less disruption than during last year's lockdowns. Teachers at the high school are equipped with new laptops. They have been using them all school year, as the school limits the number of students in each classroom and some students watch lessons via video every day. Additionally, students who have potential COVID-19 exposure are encouraged to stay home and learn online rather than coming to school and risking infecting others. Daily use of online teaching tools and techniques means that our high school teachers were prepared when high school went virtual two weeks ago-- leading to better instruction and interaction for students and teachers.

We are still seeking donations to equip our elementary school teachers, however. Many of them are still working from cell phones, which greatly limits their ability to connect with students as a group and to use online resources such as SchoolMe (an Albanian-specific educational platform). You can support them here.

In Albania, COVID-19 is far from over. Widespread access to vaccines is a ways off, as it is for most smaller, poorer countries. People recognize that they must find ways to live with the virus for now-- including helping young people continue to learn even when they cannot be in their classrooms.