Albanian Red Cross

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.

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

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

• Humanitarian services
• First aid training
• Disaster response
• Blood donation promotion
• Social welfare programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Tirana

HQ country

Albania

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. International Organization Funding: Funding from international partners including UNHCR, EU (EU4Migration project), Austrian Development Agency, IFRC, and ICRC for specific humanitarian programs and projects.
4. 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

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 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)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlbanian 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 AlbaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose 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 OrganizationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHO collaborates on blood donation promotion activities and health awareness campaigns including maternal and child health, reproductive health, hygiene, and disease prevention.
• National Blood Transfusion CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose 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 CrossmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership 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 CrossmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on disaster response and first aid training. Joint simulations and workshops organized for civil protection coordination. Collaboration on volunteer training programs.
• Albanian Government InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration 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

Regional 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

• Xx.com/RedCrossAlbania
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@KryqiiKuqShqiptar
• Facebookfacebook.com/kkshselia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/albanian-red-cross
• Instagraminstagram.com/redcrossalb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Albanian Red Cross