At our Amaro Tan school for children from marginalized communities, Christian values are a matter of course. After all,
Amaro Tan is one of the few private schools in Albania specifically established to create a safe and distinctive educational environment for at-risk children.
School principal Marin Piqoni has noticed a positive change. In the past, families with limited education viewed the school with suspicion, and the principal often had to persuade parents to let their children attend. Now these parents regularly bring their children to school without hesitation or the need of persuasion. They now better understand the value of a unique school education, which emphasizes not only academic knowledge but also the development of the whole person.
Marin has observed another significant development: “An increasing number of families who are not Roma or Balkan-Egyptian are requesting admission for their children. A few years ago, this was quite rare due to strong prejudices against marginalized groups. However, the school’s success speaks for itself. People see our students, their behavior, and their growth and achievements and suddenly, it no longer seems to be an
issue for their own children to sit in class with peers of darker skin and form friendships.”
Little students enjoy their lessons at Amaro Tan School.
For social worker Franko Ali, himself a former student at Amaro Tan, values as practised by Jesus are central to both his work and his life. He states, “It’s important that everyone at the school – students, their parents and families, teachers and staff, as well as older visitors to the soup kitchen who are particularly close to my heart – learn these values.” Parents especially benefit from the parent meetings, where they can discuss questions and concerns and collaborate on concrete solutions.
Strong values truly have a strong impact!