Plenty of Work to Do and a Corner to Rest

Bashkim Jaholli from Podujevë/Podujevo left his hometown in 2017 and began the long journey to France, hoping to settle there and start anew. Within less than a year, he was repatriated to Kosovo and since then, all he occupied himself with was finding a job to secure a future for his family of four. 

Among many difficulties faced during repatriation, being a middle-aged man made him doubt that the whole picture of his future might not be as complete as he had imagined. 

While finding a suitable job turned out challenging, Bashkim decided to establish his own small business, supported by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the Self-Employment Programme, part of the Active Labour Market Programmes 2 (ALMP 2) project, in cooperation with Kosovo Employment Agency (KEA). 

As a beneficiary of the Self-Employment Programme, he now runs a car wash. 

“When you spend eight hours working each day with less than 30 minutes break, there is no commitment that doesn’t pay off,” says Jaholli, showing us the example of a satisfied self-employed man. 

Thinking back to 2005 brings back nostalgic memories to him. His first job was as a car wash attendant, the first time he learned about how car wash equipment should be used and how to treat customers.

17 years later, Bashkim recalls these days as past belongings, not imagining that one day he would return to what he once left. Nowadays, he enthusiastically carries on business responsibilities. 

Upon his decision of a new beginning, Bashkim cherishes each day as a new opportunity to make the most of the support he has received. It gives him freedom and flexibility in decision-making and the ability to lead the business in his own way. 

"Repatriation couldn’t have been any better and I feel profoundly lucky that among the difficulties, I no longer have to deal with concerns of being unemployed," he says. 

He owns a great sense of optimism that one day in the future, his small business will be expanded. 

Lah Dodolli is another beneficiary from Podujevë/Podujevo who was repatriated from Germany in 2019, and now works as an auto repair technician. 

“Buying a new car instead of keeping the existing one, isn’t always the choice when speaking of superficial damages such as dents, scrapes, and buckling. In principle, repairing it reduces big-ticket purchases,” he explains. 

What takes one’s attention when entering his workplace is the image of a well-organized space, where every tool is readily available. 

This meticulous approach comes from 20 years of experience in this field. After all this time, Lah now runs his own business supported by the Self-Employment Programme. 

“I enjoy the beginning of the day knowing that at the end, the results will be more exciting than the work itself. I can see it visually, and that is when I feel that I am playing a significant role in others’ lives. A car is a very important asset and that is why I give my best to be a reliable source to my customers,” he emphasizes.

“Self-esteem” and “independence” best describe the impact of the support provided to Lah. As a result of these attributes, the only challenge he deals with nowadays is the large number of customers whose demands require continuous attention. 

Bashkim and Lah are only two of 242 beneficiaries who have been provided support during 2022 by UNDP through the Self-Employment Programme, part of Active Labour Market Programmes 2, in partnership with the Kosovo Employment Agency. 

The Programme is dedicated to repatriated jobseekers in Kosovo and aims to shape their employment path into a more promising one. 

FootnotesStory and photos by Erblina Selmanaj