Plarent Aleksi is a Harvard Alumni of GSAS (2014), holds a PhD in Social Sciences and Philosophy, and is the Co-Founder of the NGO Veritash. Veritash engages in social studies in Albania concerning societal issues such as family violence, social and economic discrimination of the Roma community, and the consequences of political corruption on emigration and people’s poverty.
1. Tell us something extraordinary about you and your path?
I have been very lucky with the path I have managed to realise: from extreme poverty in Albania to a first generation Harvard Alumni, holding a PhD and living in a developed country such as France. I feel so lucky. Today I just want to give a hand to raise up those like me who need a helping hand. For this reason, in response to the COVID-19 crisis in September 2020 and in collaboration with an US-based Albanian NGO Global Albanian Foundation, we helped 100 Roma families in the district of Berat with food supplies. We continue conducting field studies and publishing reports on social problems related to the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis in Albania.
2. What is your dream job?
My dream job has always been to help people who struggle with extreme poverty. I come from a very poor post communism family in Albania. I know what extreme poverty means. With €18 per month (les than 0,60 cent per day) we lived this reality (3 kids and 2 parents). Poverty is a huge plague that brings so many other serious social problems. Actually, I see my mission possible if I work for international organisations such as the United Nations or a foundation helping alleviate poverty. During my academic career I have studied International Relations, Peace Building, and Diplomacy and have been part of the amazing UN Graduate Study Program in Geneva (2011).
3. What fascinates you about technology in the development field?
Since the beginning of my academic career I saw technology as
amazing, problem solving and a very important tool to reach people
worldwide. Specially with recent developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI), it looks like technology will have an important impact for world-wide connections between humans and specially to deliver help for individuals and communities.
I decided to volunteer with SpringACT to keep engaged in the field
since he now lives on the French frontier (Châtel) with Switzerland. I
love the atmosphere and the enthusiasm the SpringACT team gives to the
important topic of violence against women.
Plarent is open to work. Please connect with him directly on LinkedIn.
SpringACT will be delighted to provide a reference for this bright up and coming star in international development: https://springact.org/contact-us/.
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