Ferdiye and Dasori tell the tale of how Hayriye Hanim hid Besart under her skirt the whole way up the mountains as they left Rahovec, Kosovo at gun point. Later the conversation weers towards politics and the future of Kosovo. At that point Suriyete gets lost in tought while watching the snow fall outside. The Kindergarten/Collective refugee center, Kukes
"The children make any strange space home," says Hayriye Hanim as she sits with her new neighbours from the "kindergarten", a 2 story building that was converted into a refugee shelter a few months ago by aid agencies in Kukes, Albania.
Gani Romayi is a strong man, bright and positive. He says he has the fighter in him. A full supporter of KLA, he says under different conditions he would be fighting in Kosovo. But he is the oldest living male member of his family. So he has to stay and take care of the women and children. When asked about his home back in Kosovo and the rest of his family, he turns solemn and sad. He says he has no news of them. Last they were seen was in Gjakova, one of the heavily hit places by the Yugoslav army.
Drita is another aggressive supporter of the KLA. She likes being the center of attention. Her parents say she always was headstrong. But following the days long track over the mountains to Tropoje, and the immadiate transfer of the entire family to the refugee shelter in Kukes, her attitute towards strangers became a lot more open and insistent. Her hero is the unnamed KLA soldier who guided them through Kosovo. The hotel, Kukes.
Suriyete is barely a year old. But in her condition her first birthday is no celebration. If she doesn't get an operation soon on her fingers, she will stay disabled for the rest of her life. Suriyete was on schedule for an operation in Kosovo. But then the family's house was razed and all of what the Kuhala's have, been looted. Muskele Kuhala took her newborn daughter and with the rest of her family sought refuge in the mountains. They later found shelter as refugees in Bajram Curri. Now with no means to get Suriyete an operation they can only tell her story. Bajram Curri, Albania.
