N.G.O. Refugee Direct Aid

Peshkopi refugee barracks, a long ago abandoned communist era school dormitory in deplorable condition with only one non functioning bathroom and no furniture nor utilities. Candlelight only.

Recent arrivals at the refugee barracks in the northern albanian town of Peshkopi. Most had only old farm wagons pulled by tractors and horses.

Giving small welcome packages from the united states to new arrivals at the Peshkopi refugee barracks.

A group picture outside the refugee barracks in peshkopi. I just introduced these children and the barracks marshall to american football.

Typical scene of mass destruction throughout Kosovo.

At war's end, the Kosovar refugees chose not to wait for nato organized return but rather made their way back immediately by any means.

Upon returning to kosova, the survivors of the multitude of village massacres buried their dead and placed these large flowered shield above each grave.

After the serbian army and paramilitary retreat in early june, 1999, the Kosovo liberation army (UCK) had formal ceremonies to re-bury their citizen soldier fighters killed in action (about 20% of entire force).

Winter Weather assistance

As the seasons changed in Kosovo in the Fall of 1999, refugees returning to villages bombed to rubble and set aflame may not have noticed the beauty of the fall colors. At least not on the trees.

the peshkopi project

The situation for Kosovo refugees is desperate and the future unknown. But there are things that can be done to help in very direct and immediate ways. By focusing on the needs of a small place ...

Dear Reader,

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about certain humanitarian activities conducted by me through my private non-governmental organization, Refugee Direct Aid (RDA). As the ten year anniversary of my involvement in Kosova nears, I thought it best to reduce my work there to writing.

Please understand this site contains only information and history relating to my and RDA's humanitarian projects. An additional site in the near future will detail my interest in social and business dealings in Kosova. Also, you will note, herein I use the Albanian spelling for Kosova, not Kosovo, which is the more widely accepted.

I followed the latest Serbian moves against yet another of its ex-Yugoslavia ethnic areas beginning in 1998 after having been quite active in humanitarian activities in the Bosnian War area in 1995 and 1996. Upon the NATO involvement in March 1999, I formed RDA in Denver, Colorado, raised a few hundred dollars in donations and material, and made the first trip to the war zone in April.

Upon returning, I realized that there were big needs for the Kosovar refugees in Macedonia and Albania, which by then numbered nearly 900,000 mostly old men, women, and children. Further fundraising was not an option due to expediency, so from that point forward I financed all of RDA's work.

Fortunately, I was able to become acquainted with many English speaking Albanians and Kosovars in the United States and in the Balkans and was assisted in many valuable ways. You will read mention of them in the following brief history of RDA work, but special thanks go to Ms. Mimoza Rada for Albanian language translation and guidance early on in Albania and Macedonia and Mr. Visar Bajraktari thereafter for many years translating Kosovar and driving me through the very difficult roadways of Kosova. Visar's father, Kadri, ably performed many reconstruction duties for RDA.

Lately, Ms. Ferdane Sopa has assisted me in many RDA small but important on-going assistance projects. Finally, Ms. Buki Cekaj performed the difficult task of locating, interviewing, and sorting the families assistance portion of my and RDA's work and drafting the text and photography that follow. The other project's descriptions are copied from other websites or actual documents and letters. Even though English is not Buki's first language, I decided not to edit the draft of her original dialougue as I feel it has more of a "on the scene" flavor when read in her own words and grammer.

I hope the reading of this website will help you to understand the enormity of the difficulty that the Kosovars underwent as a result of the War and its aftermath.

I much appreciate your interest.

Best Wishes,

Ben