Some 126 new single-family homes are gradually replacing the ruins of old homes in the village of Farke, Tirana municipality, providing a fresh opportunity for the extended households consisting of two or more couples living under the same roof to benefit a new house each.

Gon Fusha, a resident in this village, and his brother have benefited a 3-bedroom house each under the ongoing post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction programme.

Prime Minister Edi Rama was the first guest to Fusha’s new house, which is incomparable with the old dwelling they lost in the devastating earthquake just over a year ago, whose ruins still lie on the site of the collapsed structure. Their house is part of the third lot of the project on construction of the single family homes in the area.

“This is a family that has recovered from the earthquake effects and has ultimately addressed the housing problem, as the two brothers and their families used to live under the same roof and now they have benefited a three-bedroom house each,” the Reconstruction Minister Arben Ahmetaj said, adding that “an additional 2000 single-family homes will be built in Tirana following the applications filed in December after the second phase of the damage assessment process that Tirana municipal authorities are conduction, bringing the total number of the new dwellings to over 5000 in Tirana alone.”

Solidarity and friendship among local residents is typical to this area. The next new house belongs to a young couple from the north-eastern region of Bulqiza, who settled in this village recently, but they feel as they have been living for ages in this village thanks to the friendship of their neighbours. “We thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” the family head said, acknowledging that the transformation of their village is really tangible.