A northern Albanian village has become emblematic of a migration crisis that saw 13,000 Albanians enter Britain illegally in 2022 alone.
Has, home to just 5,000 residents, has witnessed an outflow of its male population seeking work opportunities abroad.
The phenomenon has reportedly resulted in local authorities erecting a monument featuring both British and Albanian flags in the town square.
School-leavers now bid farewell to teachers with “See you in London” rather than traditional parting words.
At the peak of this exodus, Albanians comprised nearly 40 per cent of all Channel crossing migrants, with Has experiencing the most severe depopulation in the country.
Besmira, a local female resident, described feeling depressed alongside many women in her community.
She told the Daily Mail: “Emigration of men destroys family bonds. Families are torn apart.”
She notes that men abroad sometimes lose connection with relatives at home, leading to increased divorce rates.
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A northern Albanian village has become emblematic of a migration crisis that saw 13,000 Albanians enter Britain illegally in 2022 alone
She said: “The men who leave may forget the family they have here.
“There is money coming in, of course, sent from the UK. But money isn’t everything.”
Another woman told the Mail: “All the money my husband sends goes to his parents, whom I live with, or our other relatives whom he supports.
“There is none left for the journey to England.”
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Villages in Albania have witnessed an outflow of their male population seeking work opportunities abroad
According to the publications, 80 per cent of Has households survive on financial dependence on overseas earnings from male relatives working in Britain.
Former educator Professor Festim Danti highlights the overwhelming burden placed on women.
He explains: “It is too much for them. They are doing this enormous job that their husbands should be sharing with them.”
Albanian nations have increasingly started using illegal smuggling methods due to the previous Conservative Government’s implementation of deportation policies for Albanian economic migrants, classifying Albania as a safe country.
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This pattern mirrors similar demographic crises in Iran, Afghanistan, Syria and Eritrea
The expense of these alternative routes has created additional barriers for separated families.
One woman said: “We know we are missing out. The idea was he would come back but that never happens because of the money he needs to send us. There are no jobs for him in Albania.”
This pattern mirrors similar demographic crises in Iran, Afghanistan, Syria and Eritrea, where mass male emigration has left communities with an unproportional number of women and girls.