More than 3,500 children from 10 schools in Albania are participating in the 'Global Campaign for Education Action week'. The initiative will focus on urging the country's leaders to send "my friend" to school - as many Albanian children are prevented from attending school and completing their education due to a lack of facilities, materials as well as difficult social and economic situations in many Albanian households.

Low school attendance and the poor quality of education has restricted the number of those graduating, and in addition 25% of the population in Albania, especially young people aged 15-24, are jobless. The Statistics Institute warns that children are even involved in works such as begging, building and trash recycling.

While education is the key to end extreme poverty The Global Campaign for Education Action Week urges for the educational needs of more than 100 million children that are out of school and 860 million illiterate adults all around the world.

The Global Campaign for Education (GCE) is a worldwide coalition of non-governmental organisations, and teaches unions in over 150 countries. They in turn have organised the worldwide Action Week Campaign called 'Send My Friend to School' (April 24-30), to remind world leaders of their promise that every child should have an education.

For this year's Education Action Week, Albanian children, in an international Christian relief and development organisation 'World Vision', are working hard to formulate messages which they will present to the President of the Republic, Alfred Moisiu, asking for greater commitment to enable their friends to go to school.

For the large artistic event with the theme 'Educate to End Poverty' schools, education stakeholders, parents, local authorities, politicians and other non-governmental organisations are being called to attend an exhibition at the end of the week, where artwork from each school will be displayed.

Over the past three years, education has become a key strategic focus with 6,500 children in the sponsorship program of World Vision. The organisation has testified its motivation is by faith in Jesus, serving poor people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people.