Do you know how your local government plans and spends your tax money? Do you know how they decide what the priorities are? Do you have a say in how they plan the annual municipal budget? Do you know whether they deliver on their promises?

Thanks to the SPACE project, funded by the EU, citizens across Albania are demanding better local services and infrastructure – and getting them.

In the town of Kavaja, 16-year-old Ariana had never considered how public budgets impacted her education until she became part of the SPACE Project. Through the “Proactive Youth for Transparency in Education Budgets” initiative, Ariana and her peers were trained in budget monitoring and advocacy. With their new skills, Ariana and her team examined the school budget and discovered gaps in funding for critical infrastructure in their school. They organised public hearings and awareness campaigns, engaging over 1,000 community members. During the hearing, Ariana confidently presented the students’ demands to the local government, emphasising the need for safer classrooms and better extracurricular spaces.

Her voice was heard. The local council committed additional funds to improve school conditions in the upcoming budget. This project not only gave Ariana a platform but empowered her to inspire others. “Now, my classmates and I know we are part of the solution. We want our schools to reflect our dreams,” Ariana said with pride.

 

The SPACE Project, funded by the European Union, is implemented by a consortium of four organisations: Together for Life (TFL), BIRN Albania, Civil Resistance, and Destiny Center for Excellence.  The project is built on a foundation of evidence-based advocacy and reform monitoring. Governments commit themselves to improving conditions through strategies such as the National Health Strategy (2021-2030) and the National Education Strategy (2021-2026). Mobilising citizens to monitor whether governments actually follow their own promises is the essence of the project. Involving citizens can also help governments because citizens often know what can be done in practice.

Alma Lahe, the project manager, explained, “Our goal is not just to analyse data but to engage citizens in the monitoring process, ensuring that health and education reforms are closely followed and that vulnerable communities are not left behind. The key is always to create actionable recommendations that can truly make a difference.” Through these monitoring efforts, the SPACE Project ensures that citizens have a clear role in evaluating the success of national strategies, contributing to policy improvements at both local and national levels.

The small grants provided by the project really helped local organisations to make changes in their communities. For example, Fatmira, a 35-year-old mother from a rural Roma community, struggled for years to access healthcare services due to poor roads and infrastructure. “Sometimes, I would take my son to the city for an emergency, spending money I didn’t have for transportation,” Fatmira recalled.

After joining the Community Advocate Group, she learned how to raise her voice for her community’s needs. “Now, I feel empowered. We are no longer silent. We know how to demand the services our families deserve,” she said. Fatmira and her team raised concerns about water contamination and the shortage of medical staff, which led to local authorities taking steps to improve healthcare services and infrastructure.

The SPACE Project continues to foster lasting change through grassroots initiatives and collaborative efforts. The combination of empowerment, subgrants, and monitoring of national strategies ensures that the SPACE Project continues to provide actionable solutions for public sector reform with long-term impact across Albania. Ariana, Fatmira, and countless others have shown that when communities are given the tools to advocate and engage, they become powerful agents of change. The project’s success is a testament to the transformative power of collaborative governance and a shared commitment to a transparent future.

As Alma said, “We want to create a culture of sustained accountability through our activities. It’s not just about informing people—it’s about empowering them to act.”