History & Program
Eagle’s Wings is a licensed 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the US and a licensed NGO (non-governmental organization) in Albania. Its purpose is to care for and teach life skills to at-risk Albanian youth in family-style group homes in order to prevent human trafficking and prepare them for healthy integration into life in their country.
HISTORY OF EAGLE’S WINGS
2007 – Eagle’s Wings Foundation was formed in response to the needs of at-risk youth in Albania and the reality that many of these youth were being trafficked for sex, labor, and begging. With the worldwide growth of human trafficking, Eagle’s Wings hoped to step in with preventative measures. After much research and project planning the Albanian Ministry of Social Services gave Eagle’s Wings their support and an unlimited license.
2009 – With a functioning board, Eagle’s Wings developed a three-year pilot project and opened it’s first home with one girl. The home eventually grew to help five girls and focused on teaching them life skills in a family environment with trained house parents and staff. Rather than responding to the needs of trafficking victims like most NGOs and state institutions, Eagle’s Wings has the vision to prevent youth from being trafficked in the first place.
2011 – At the end of the pilot project phase in fall of 2011, EW faced changes in funding and some of the residents circumstances changed. After evaluating the situation, Eagle’s Wings reduced its operations, caring for just one orphaned girl who was placed with Albanian house parents in a foster-care model. The foundation continued to plan for the future.
2013 – The future goal is for Eagle’s Wings to open two homes, one for boys and one for girls. There is a list of youth already waiting to enter these homes and new names are being added to the list as more people learn about Eagle’s Wings. In order for the homes to open quickly, Eagle’s Wings has been communicating the need and vision to others, hoping to broaden financial support, and networking with other organizations and individuals interested in preventing and ending human trafficking.
2017- In our current home are accommodated five girls. We aim to open the second home at 2017. There are still many vulnerable girls and boys waiting for a place to stay and to be part of our program. The most cases has been referred by Tirana Municipality and state orphanages all over Albania. According the amendment of low for state orphanages (2014)they are responsible to take care for children until 18. Actually state orphanages complains for lack of infrastructure and staff so to take care for youth from 16 to 18 and as the result of that they are trying to find better places for adolescents as E’W.
After a meeting with Tirana Municipality they agreed to provide apartment/s for E’W in case of opening a new home/s.
Eagle’s Wings has registered to be a Developing Site for Teaching Family. Executive director attended the Teaching Family conference in 2012 and we are hoping to have a sponsor agency for our organization soon.
TF provides ongoing training and evaluation and there is the possibility that after certification (which takes around 3 years) Eagle’s Wings might become a trainer for other organizations in Albania. TF has been very effective in the US for over 35 years and has been used cross-culturally (for Hispanic and Native American youth) within the US.
For more information on Teaching Family please visit their website. www.teaching-family.org
The video below shows history and latest up date for foundation.