Born in Albania and raised in Greece, Dea Lulaj has always been passionate about creating inclusive healthcare environments. When she joined Engagement of Diaspora Professionals in CSOs, a project led by GERMIN and supported by the Citizen Engagement Activity, Dea saw an opportunity to make a lasting impact on autism care. This engagement allowed her to share her expertise in Sweden’s autism support framework with the National Association of Autism in Kosovo (ANAK), aiming to help build Kosovo’s capacities to support individuals with autism and their families more effectively.
Dea reflected on her journey with ANAK, saying: "It was an enlightening experience. Comparing the conditions and support systems for individuals with autism in Sweden and Kosovo—from legal frameworks to family and research funding and even school systems—showed the differences between the two. In Sweden, support is more accessible, while in Kosovo, there are still challenges to address."
Dea dedicated herself to delivering actionable insights through her analysis. She examined Sweden's evidence-based practices and policies for children with autism and tailored her recommendations to Kosovo's context. Dea worked closely with ANAK's team, communicating continuously, gathering and analyzing data, as well as consulting with specialists. Her work culminated with providing suggestions towards improving medical services, diagnostic tools, and institutional policies in Kosovo.
Given her brief time with ANAK, Dea acknowledged the challenges "With only two months, it's impossible to address everything. But I’ve included key recommendations in my report, which I hope will serve as a foundation for ANAK and others." Her insights have set a roadmap for future interventions,, from bolstering governmental support for autism services to advocating adequate accessibility to services and encouraging further research.
The issues she highlights relate to funding, which, in her view, needs to be increased for scientific research, legal improvements, and access to information. Lack of access often contributes to stigmatization. Additionally, she emphasizes the need for a better educational system for autistic children and more comprehensive support for parents, all of which would contribute to improving support for autism in Kosovo.
Dea believes that Kosovo's diaspora professionals have much to offer. She noted, "There are so many experts from the diaspora who would love to be involved if given the chance, even on a volunteer basis." Her words speak to a powerful network of diaspora professionals ready to contribute their knowledge to Kosovo’s advancement.
Dea Lulaj’s work marks just the beginning of a collaboration that has the potential to create significant, sustainable changes for autism care in Kosovo. Her expertise, coupled with the commitment of local organizations like ANAK, is helping to create a more supportive and inclusive environment for children with autism and their families. Dea continues to maintain communication with ANAK, whom she met in Sweden, symbolizing a lasting connection among diaspora professionals and organizations’ representatives in Kosovo.
The strength of engaging diaspora professionals lies in their dual perspective: they intimately understand the reality in Kosovo while offering insights grounded in the advanced systems where they work and develop their careers. This unique blend enables them to propose relevant, practical strategies tailored to Kosovo’s needs, drawing from best practices in more developed contexts.
By bringing this perspective, professionals like Dea bridge gaps between Kosovo and global standards. Their involvement accelerates progress, ensuring that local institutions can benefit from innovative solutions without losing sight of Kosovo's unique challenges and strengths.
She graduated from the Mediterranean University of Crete in Greece and holds a Master's degree in Medical Science from Lund University in Sweden. Her research primarily focuses on the enhancement of healthcare guidelines and the evaluation and implementation strategies for integrating evidence-based interventions into clinical practice. In addition to her collaborations with GERMIN and ANAK, she has previously contributed to several projects, including “The Application of the NEWS Scale to Patients in the Pulmonary Clinic of a University General Hospital” and “Learning Needs and Attitudes of Adults Aged 55+ – Development of a Digital Education Program for Self-Management of Low Back Pain.” Currently, her research is concentrated on the management and treatment of pulmonary patients.
This story is produced within the framework of the "Diaspora Professionals Engagement" project, supported by the Citizen Engagement Activity, a five year initiative implemented by the Kosovar Foundation for Civil Society (KCSF) in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Kosovo. GERMIN is a partner of KCSF in implementing this activity.
