Frenk* doesn’t remember much from his childhood in Greece and Albania, but he remembers the day his parents were arrested for trafficking people and selling human organs “like it was yesterday”.
Frenk’s father remains in prison, but his mother was found not guilty at trial. Both his brother and sister were victims of their father’s desperate cruelty. Frenk was placed in an orphanage, where he was bullied continually and left to process the devastating results to his start in life by himself.
Despite all this Frenk loves life and doesn’t seem to carry anger towards his parents. He is in occasional touch with this mother, who moved to Greece and has another family now. Frenk has recently joined the House of Opportunity in Elbasan. He loves football, and like many young men dreams that one day he will play for a big team. His desire to try his hand at bar-tending is a more modest ambition. The team at the House will support him and help him work through the issues surrounding his upbringing, as well as helping him begin to realise his goals.
Frenk seems incredibly optimistic for somebody who has been through what he has, but in the House of Opportunity he now has a shot at some sort of normal life. One where he can have a family, and never be in a position to wonder how much money he could make from selling his own children.
August 2026
Frenk now lives in Tirana, where he works professionally as a barista and waiter in two well-known establishments in the city. He often stays in touch with us by phone, sharing his successes, challenges, and joys. We are grateful that, even after leaving HOP, Frenk continues to maintain a relationship with us and feels comfortable reaching out to share different moments of his life.
His journey is another encouraging example of how the support, care, and opportunities provided through HOP can help young people move toward greater independence and a more stable future.
*Name changed
