Albanian Red Cross
Albanian Red Cross is Albania's oldest humanitarian organization, founded 1921, operating through 39 branches nationwide with 30 staff and approximately 3,000 volunteers. It delivers first aid training, disaster response, social services for vulnerable populations, blood donation promotion, and refugee support under exclusive government mandate.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1921
- HeadquartersTirana, Albania
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Albanian Red Cross does
Albanian Red Cross (Kryqi Kuq Shqiptar) is Albania's oldest humanitarian organization, founded on October 4, 1921, and the 38th National Society recognized by the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1923. Operating as a voluntary humanitarian association under Albanian Law No. 7864 (1994, amended 2021), it serves as an auxiliary to public authorities in humanitarian matters. The organization is headquartered in Tirana and operates through 39 branches across Albania, supported by approximately 30 paid employees, 100,000 members, and 2,500-3,000 volunteers, including 30 dedicated disaster response teams (each comprising 20-40 trained volunteers).
The organization's core service areas include: first aid training (approximately 45,000 driver license candidates and 2,500 institutional employees annually) following Global First Aid Reference Centre guidelines; disaster preparedness and response with stockpiling capacity for 2,000 families for one month; social services for over 1,000 elderly (through 9 day centers) and 2,000 families in need; blood donation promotion addressing Albania's 30,000 annual unit demand; refugee and asylum seeker support at border points in collaboration with UNHCR; psychosocial support; and youth humanitarian education. Its technology infrastructure includes a radio communication system linking headquarters to 10 county branches, a logistics network with central and three regional warehouses, and a first aid mobile application available on App Store and Play Store.
The organization is funded through a diversified model: individual and organizational donations, Albanian government budget support (tax-exempt under Law No. 7864), international grants from EU, UNHCR, IFRC, ICRC, and Austrian Development Agency, and nominal fees from mandatory first aid training. The Red Cross emblem and name are legally protected under Law No. 7865. The organization has been recognized by IFRC as one of the top 30 National Societies globally, reflecting its operational standing within the 187-society International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
Albanian Red Cross firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Albanian Red Cross
- Legal name
- Kryqi i Kuq Shqiptar
- Website
- https://kksh.org.al
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1921
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Albanian Red Cross is Albania's oldest humanitarian organization, founded 1921, operating through 39 branches nationwide with 30 staff and approximately 3,000 volunteers. It delivers first aid training, disaster response, social services for vulnerable populations, blood donation promotion, and refugee support under exclusive government mandate.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Albanian Red Cross industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Humanitarian Services
- NAICS
- Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI), Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE), Disaster Relief & Humanitarian Aid Volunteering (EDAIAGAF)
Keywords
Where Albanian Red Cross is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tirana
- HQ country
- Albania
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
Albanian Red Cross business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Donations from Individuals and Organizations: The Albanian Red Cross accepts unlimited contributions in any form from individuals and/or legal entities, Albanian or foreign, and organizes their collection within the country.
- Government Budget Support: The Council of Ministers may support humanitarian activities of the Red Cross with budget funds for specific programs. The organization is exempt from payment of any kind of taxes or fees.
- International Organization Funding: Funding from international partners including UNHCR, EU (EU4Migration project), Austrian Development Agency, IFRC, and ICRC for specific humanitarian programs and projects.
- Training Services Revenue: Revenue from first aid training courses for driver's license candidates (approximately 45,000 per year) and employee training for private and public institutions. While services are largely humanitarian, nominal fees may be charged for certain training programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One-time | First Aid Training for Driver's License Candidates |
| Unit Pricing | One-time | First Aid Training for Institutions and Businesses |
| Other | Other | Social Support Services |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Albanian Red Cross product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Albanian Red Cross provides humanitarian services through disaster preparedness and response, first aid training (approximately 45,000 driver's license candidates and 2,500 institutional employees annually), blood donation promotion, social services for the elderly, women in difficulty, and families in need, refugee and asylum seeker support at borders in collaboration with UNHCR, psychosocial support, and family tracing services. All services are delivered through a nationwide network of 39 branches supported by approximately 3,000 volunteers and 100,000 members, following the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- First Aid Training for Driver's License Candidates An 8-hour certified first aid training course that all Albanian citizens seeking driver's licenses must complete at their local Red Cross branch. Approximately 45,000 candidates are trained annually through 120 instructors nationwide.
- First Aid Training for Institutions and Businesses A 7-hour first aid training course delivered to employees of private and public institutions and businesses, required under the Albanian Labor Code. Approximately 2,500 employees are trained annually, with mobile training services available at institutional locations.
- Social Care Services for the Elderly Social, healthcare, and nutritional support services for elderly in need, provided free of charge through 9 day centers in Tirana, Lezhë, Fier, Durrës, Dibër, Kuçovë, Elbasan, Librazhd, and Lushnjë, plus home visits. Over 1,000 elderly supported annually, with 500 attending day centers.
- Disaster Preparedness and Response Emergency response and relief services for communities affected by natural disasters including floods and earthquakes. Deploys 30 disaster response teams with 20-40 volunteers each from branches nationwide. Includes stockpiling capability for 2,000 families for one month.
- Blood Donation Promotion Programme Promotion of voluntary blood donation in partnership with the National Blood Transfusion Center, including World Blood Donor Day celebrations and donor recruitment to address Albania's annual need of 30,000 blood units, including for 600 thalassemic patients requiring treatment every 3 weeks.
- Refugee and Asylum Seeker Support Daily support at border points (Gjirokastër, Dropulli) for refugees and asylum seekers in collaboration with UNHCR, Border and Migration Police, and local authorities. Services include needs assessment, medical care, shelter, orientation to asylum procedures, and protection activities.
- Psychosocial Support Services Psychosocial support services for vulnerable populations including disaster survivors, refugees, and individuals in difficult circumstances across Albania.
- Family Tracing and Reunification Services Family tracing and restoration of family link services supported by the ICRC for families separated due to armed conflict, natural disasters, migration, or other humanitarian situations. Services offered through [email protected].
- Vocational Training for Women in Difficulty Professional training in sewing and other vocational skills for women and girls in difficulty. Approximately 250 women and girls certified annually, with over 50% employed through Red Cross branch mediation.
- First Aid Mobile Application Mobile application available on App Store and Play Store (com.cube.gdpc.fa) that allows citizens to access first aid knowledge remotely, downloadable for free public use.
- Youth and Humanitarian Education Program Educational programs promoting humanitarian values, first aid demonstrations in schools, kindergartens, universities, military units, and institutions. Includes summer camps for children and youth engagement activities.
Quantifiable outcome
- 45,000 driver license candidates trained in first aid annually
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Albanian Red Cross
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Albanian Red Cross technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Albanian Red Cross partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)coreThe Albanian Red Cross is recognized by and works closely with ICRC, the guardian of International Humanitarian Law. ICRC supports family tracing services and restoration of family links for separated families due to armed conflict, natural disasters, migration, or other humanitarian situations.
- International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)coreAlbanian Red Cross has been a member since 1923 (as the 38th National Society founded). IFRC provides strategic guidance, funding support, and coordinates international disaster response. Albanian Red Cross is recognized as one of the top 30 National Societies globally.
- UNHCR AlbaniacoreClose daily collaboration at border points for supporting refugees and asylum seekers. Staff provide information, conduct interviews, identify vulnerable cases, and make referrals to specialized services. Joint activities organized for World Refugee Day.
- World Health OrganizationmajorWHO collaborates on blood donation promotion activities and health awareness campaigns including maternal and child health, reproductive health, hygiene, and disease prevention.
- National Blood Transfusion CentercoreClose partnership for organizing voluntary blood donation promotion activities. The center is responsible for collecting and managing donated blood. Joint efforts for World Blood Donor Day celebrations.
- Austrian Red CrossmajorPartnership for first aid capacity building including Advanced First Aid project funded by Austrian Development Agency. Collaboration since 1994 on basic first aid training. Volunteers from Albanian Red Cross participate in Austrian first aid competitions.
- Italian Red CrossmajorPartnership on disaster response and first aid training. Joint simulations and workshops organized for civil protection coordination. Collaboration on volunteer training programs.
- Albanian Government InstitutionscoreCollaboration with Border and Migration Police, municipal institutions, and civil protection structures. The organization is an auxiliary to public authorities for humanitarian matters as defined by Law 7864.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves13 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Albanian Red Cross competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Croatian Red Cross: Western Balkans regional peer National Society with similarly sized national footprint, donor mix (EU, government, donations), and program mix spanning first aid, social welfare, refugee support, and disaster response.
- Kosovo Red Cross: Neighboring National Society with very similar ethnic, linguistic, and post-conflict humanitarian operating context, providing a near-direct peer for ARC's community-based social and health programming.
- Serbian Red Cross: Western Balkans regional peer National Society serving a comparably sized population with similar first-aid, refugee, and disaster-response programs. Operates along the same migration route and shares EU-program funding landscape.
- Hellenic Red Cross: National Society of neighboring Greece, sharing similar Mediterranean humanitarian context, migration flows, and IFRC membership. Operates as a regional peer with overlapping programs in disaster response, social care, and refugee support.
- Red Cross of North Macedonia: Closely comparable small-country Western Balkans National Society facing similar migration-route pressures, EU funding dependency, and small-staff operational model — useful benchmark for ARC's operating economics and program scaling trajectory.
Direct peers
- Italian Red Cross: Adjacent National Red Cross Society in the Western Balkans/Western Europe region with active partnership to ARC on disaster response, first-aid training, and volunteer exchanges. Shares the same Movement mandate, IFRC governance structure, and emblem-protection legal framework.
- Austrian Red Cross: Long-standing capacity-building partner of ARC since 1994, including the Advanced First Aid project funded by Austrian Development Agency. Same Movement mandate, directly comparable organizational model, and explicit operational collaboration on training and competitions.
- Caritas Albania: Albanian humanitarian NGO sharing ARC's domestic territory, donor base (EU, individual donations, government), and core program areas (social services, vulnerable-population support, emergency response). Most direct local peer for funding and program overlap.
Emerging players
- World Vision Albania: Active humanitarian NGO in Albania with international funding, working on social welfare and vulnerable-population programs. Competes for similar donor pools and serves overlapping beneficiary populations, particularly children and families.
Others
- International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): The global Movement federation of which ARC is the 38th-admitted member society. Functions as funding channel, strategic overseer, and capacity builder — comparable in governance model and as the strategic framework shaping ARC's program mix and standards.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Albanian Red Cross social profiles
Digital presenceAlbanian Red Cross financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Albanian Red Cross leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Albanian Red Cross funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Albanian Red Cross M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Albanian Red Cross
What does Albanian Red Cross do?
The Albanian Red Cross provides humanitarian services through disaster preparedness and response, first aid training (approximately 45,000 driver's license candidates and 2,500 institutional employees annually), blood donation promotion, social services for the elderly, women in difficulty, and families in need, refugee and asylum seeker support at borders in collaboration with UNHCR, psychosocial support, and family tracing services. All services are delivered through a nationwide network of 39 branches supported by approximately 3,000 volunteers and 100,000 members, following the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
Is Albanian Red Cross a public or private company?
Albanian Red Cross is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Albanian Red Cross founded?
Albanian Red Cross was founded in 1921. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Albanian Red Cross based?
Albanian Red Cross is headquartered in Tirana, Albania, in the Europe region.
How does Albanian Red Cross make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations from Individuals and Organizations are the primary driver. The others are government Budget Support, international Organization Funding and training Services Revenue.
Who are Albanian Red Cross's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Croatian Red Cross, Kosovo Red Cross, Serbian Red Cross, Hellenic Red Cross and Red Cross of North Macedonia. Direct peers are Italian Red Cross, Austrian Red Cross and Caritas Albania. World Vision Albania is listed as an emerging player. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is listed as an others.
Does Albanian Red Cross have an API?
No public API is recorded for Albanian Red Cross.
What industry is Albanian Red Cross in?
Albanian Red Cross's product category is Humanitarian Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAAAH, Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAI, Refugee & Immigrant Support Services. Its NAICS code is 624230 and its SIC code is 8300.