At just 26, Tajson Lluko carries responsibilities far beyond his years. When his grandmother—the only caregiver he had ever known—passed away in August 2023, Tajson suddenly became the legal guardian of his younger siblings, a 13-year-old sister and a 12-year-old brother. 

Their parents had long abandoned them, leaving the grandmother to hold the family together. Overnight, Tajson stepped into her role: protector, provider, and anchor for the two children.

The transition was anything but easy. Living with asthma and depending on disability benefits, Tajson struggled to find steady work. Despite having studied hospitality, tourism, and later agronomy, opportunities were scarce. Facing health issues and the daunting responsibility of raising two children, his future felt uncertain and heavy.

Everything began to change when he learned about ARSIS – Initiative for Social Change, one of the civil society organizations supported by the EU-funded EU4LMI project, implemented by UNDP. The project provides intensive six-month counseling and training programs, designed to open new doors for vulnerable jobseekers in Korçë.

Participants receive personalized career guidance, skills training, mentorship, and, for some, internships or vocational courses with local businesses.

Determined to build a future for his family, Tajson joined the program. With the support of ARSIS counselors, he gained confidence and learned practical tools: how to identify his strengths, prepare a CV, and pursue career paths that match both his interests and health needs. Encouraged and guided, he enrolled in a vocational training course for electricians—a profession offering stability and growth, without overstraining his health.

By September 2025, Tajson was fully engaged in the training, taking steady steps toward a career that promises independence for him and security for his siblings.

“For the first time, I feel like I have a plan,” he says, his quiet determination carrying both the weight of past hardships and the spark of hope for the future.

The challenges are far from over. Economic hardship, emotional scars, and the daily demands of raising two children at a young age remain. Yet Tajson no longer faces them alone. Thanks to a strong partnership between UNDP, ARSIS, the National Agency for Employment and Skills municipal social services, and vocational training institutions, he now has a network of support. Together, they are building a safety net that helps young people like him move from despair to opportunity from identification to tangible support toward sustainable employment. 
“Tajson’s story is a reminder of the systemic support needed for young people who carry extraordinary responsibilities. Flexible vocational training, psychosocial assistance, and accessible employment programmes are not luxuries for youth like him; they are lifelines,” says Eno Ngjela, programme specialist for economic growth and skills at UNDP in Albania.

As Tajson moves forward, he is not just training for a profession. He is reclaiming his independence and shaping a better future for his brother and sister—proving that with the right support, even the heaviest burdens can be carried with dignity and hope.

The EU4LMI project, funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP Albania in partnership with the Swedish Public Employment Service and the Albanian Disability Rights Foundation, promotes inclusive economic growth through close collaboration with the National Agency of Employment and Skills, state institutions, municipalities, and civil society.

So far, 12 CSOs have been engaged across 19 municipalities to strengthen employment services and create new opportunities for marginalized women and men like Tajson  across Albania.