A group of young volunteers, guided by the RESU team, set out along the Ishmi River—not just to look, but to learn. They weren’t scientists or experts. They were students, activists, and locals who cared about their community. And they had one big question:
Why is this river so polluted, and how is it affecting the people living here?
Meeting the Community
The first step was simple: talk to the people who lived by the river. Going door to door, the team knocked and waited, hoping people would be willing to share their stories.
Some welcomed them inside, offering tea and talking about how the river used to be clean. Others stood at their gates, shaking their heads. “It has been like this for years,” one man said. “No one does anything about it.”
Over the next two weeks, the team visited 54 families and spoke with them about how pollution had affected their daily lives. Some admitted they had no choice but to throw waste near the river because there were no other options. Others blamed local authorities for not taking action. But one thing was clear—everyone was worried.
The team also interviewed 12 local businesses, asking how waste was managed in their shops and factories. Many business owners explained that they paid waste collection fees, but the service was unreliable. Some expressed frustration, while others said they wanted to help but didn’t know how.
The Water We Drink
One of the biggest concerns was the safety of drinking water. Many families relied on well water, even though their homes were close to the river.
A mother held up a bucket of water she had just pulled from her well. It looked clean, but was it?
To find out, the team collected water samples from 10 households. These samples would be tested to see if the water was safe to drink. The results would provide an important piece of the puzzle.
This activity was carried out in the framework of the MELI Project, supported by Leviz Albania and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).