Handikos

What Handikos does

Handikos (formally Shoqata e Paraplegjikëve dhe Paralizës së Fëmijëve të Kosovës / Association of Paraplegics and Children Paralysis of Kosovo) is a non-governmental organization founded in 1983 in Pristina, Kosovo, by Halit Ferizi and other citizens to address the difficult circumstances faced by persons with disabilities. The organization provides rehabilitation services, social services, advocacy, and support programs for persons with disabilities and their families, operating through 8 Community-Based Rehabilitation Centers distributed across major Kosovo cities (Prishtinë, Gjilan, Ferizaj, Prizren, Pejë, Gjakovë, Mitrovica south and north), a central office in Prishtinë (Dardania 4/7 D2), and a Resource Center in Veternik, alongside mobile/home-based physiotherapy services. Its service portfolio includes rehabilitation, distribution of assistive devices (over 7,000 provided to date), psychosocial support, legal advocacy, capacity building for Disabled Persons Organizations (DPOs), inclusive education support, and the quarterly 'Hëna' advocacy magazine. INTRAC has ranked Handikos as the largest disability organization in Southeast Europe, and the organization now serves approximately 16,000 enrolled members including 4,000 child beneficiaries.

The organization operates as a project-based non-profit with no commercial pricing — all services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. Funding derives from international institutional donors (European Union, UNICEF, Save the Children, SIDA, USAID, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and Government of Kosovo partnerships (Ministry for Labor and Social Welfare, Ministry of Finance). Major active programs include the EU-funded 'Inclusive Kosovo' project, the UNICEF-supported Community-Based Rehabilitation (RBB) program, the Save the Children/SIDA 'Handikos for Child Rights - H4CR' initiative, and the regionally coordinated DADIRR project with the Albanian Disability Rights Foundation. The organization also operates formal advocacy groups — 'Hëna' for children (established 2017), Adults Group, and Parents Group — and convenes annual disability conferences marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Name

Handikos

Legal name

Shoqata e Paraplegjikëve dhe Paralizës së Fëmijëve të Kosovës (Association of Paraplegics and Children Paralysis of Kosovo)

Website

https://handi-kos.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Handikos is a Kosovo-based NGO founded in 1983 providing rehabilitation, assistive devices, social services, and disability rights advocacy to approximately 16,000 members through 8 community-based rehabilitation centers, funded primarily by international institutional donors and the Government of Kosovo.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Child and Youth Services (624110), Home Health Care Services (62161)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

Keywords

• Disability rehabilitation services
• Community-based rehabilitation
• Disability advocacy services
• Assistive devices provision
• Social services support

Headquarters

HQ city

Pristina

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. International Donor Grants: Primary funding from international donors including EU, UNICEF, Save the Children, SIDA, USAID, and Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs through SMART Balkans program
2. Government Partnerships: Funding and partnership with Government of Kosovo, Ministry for Labor and Social Welfare, and Ministry of Finance for social services and disability programs
3. Donations: Individual and organizational donations through bank transfer and direct contributions

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Handikos provides rehabilitation, social services, advocacy, and support programs for persons with disabilities and their families across Kosovo. Core deliverables include community-based rehabilitation (physiotherapy, psychosocial support), assistive device distribution (wheelchairs, orthopaedic equipment), inclusive education support, and rights-based advocacy through structured groups such as Hëna (children), Adults Group, and Parents Group, delivered through eight community-based rehabilitation centers and a central resource center.

Product overview

HANDIKOS (Association of Paraplegics and Paralysis of Children of Kosovo) is a non-governmental organization established in 1983, operating as a service and advocacy organization rather than a commercial product company. The organization offers a portfolio of services including community-based rehabilitation (RBB), advocacy and lobbying, quarterly publication (Revista 'Hëna'), and operates resource centers across Kosovo. Founded by Halit Ferizi in 1983, HANDIKOS has grown to approximately 16,000 members and serves children and adults with disabilities throughout Kosovo through approximately 8 rehabilitation centers in major cities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Revista 'Hëna': A magazine created for advocacy of the rights of children with disabilities in Kosovo, promoting activities that children carry out within HANDIKOS. Published quarterly.
• Grupi Avokues i Fëmijëve 'Hëna'

Products and services

• HANDIKOS Core Services Comprehensive advocacy, rehabilitation, and support services for persons with disabilities including children with disabilities and paraplegics in Kosovo, delivered through a network of community-based rehabilitation centers, a central office, and a resource center.
• Shërbimet e Rehabilitimit të Bazuar në Bashkësi (RBB) - Community-Based Rehabilitation Services Community-based rehabilitation services for children and youth with disabilities, providing assistive devices, deformity prevention, and support for independent living, delivered through community-based rehabilitation centers and household outreach.
• Advocacy and Lobbying Services Advocacy and lobbying services for the rights of persons with disabilities, delivered through the network of advocacy groups including the 'Hëna' children's advocacy group (established 2017), the Adults Group, and the Parents Group.
• Resource Centers Physical resource centers providing rehabilitation services, including the Resource Center in Veternik-Prishtinë and the central office, delivering rehabilitation, assistive devices, and related support services across multiple regions of Kosovo.
• Revista 'Hëna' (Hëna Magazine) Quarterly advocacy magazine for children with disabilities in Kosovo, promoting activities carried out by children within HANDIKOS and advancing disability rights advocacy.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served 327 children with disabilities with social services in one year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major, regional, core and supporting.

• Albanian Disability Rights Foundation (ADRF)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023ADRF coordinates the DADIRR project (Disability Alliances for Development of Inclusive Reforms in the Region) with HANDIKOS as Kosovo partner.
• Polio Plus MacedoniaregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Regional partner in DADIRR project for disability rights advancement in Western Balkans.
• Albanian National Association of DeafregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Regional partner in DADIRR project for disability rights advancement in Western Balkans.
• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 December 2022UNICEF partners with HANDIKOS on community-based rehabilitation services for children and youth with disabilities, supporting through the RBB program.
• Save the ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSave the Children partners with HANDIKOS on the 'Handikos for Child Rights - H4CR' project, implementing child rights programs for children with disabilities.
• Disability Partnership FinlandsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFinnish partner providing training on accessibility audit standards for the Inclusive Kosovo project.
• Ministry for Labor and Social Welfare (Kosovo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry providing funding and partnership for social services for persons with disabilities.
• Government of KosovocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for disability programs and designated 2022 as the Year of Persons with Disabilities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Caritas Kosovo: Kosovo-based NGO delivering social welfare, rehabilitation, and disability-related support with similar donor profile (Catholic agency + international partners), comparable service portfolio to HANDIKOS.
• Polio Plus Macedonia: Western Balkans disability-rights organization; co-partner with HANDIKOS in the DADIRR regional alliance, serving comparable population with overlapping advocacy and rehabilitation services.
• Albanian Disability Rights Foundation (ADRF): Albanian disability-rights NGO coordinating the DADIRR regional project with HANDIKOS as Kosovo partner; directly comparable mission, advocacy, and regional rights-based approach.
• Save the Children Kosovo: International NGO operating across Kosovo with overlapping child-rights and disability programming; directly co-implements the H4CR project with HANDIKOS and shares donor base (SIDA, EU).
• UNICEF Kosovo: UN agency co-implementing HANDIKOS's RBB community-based rehabilitation program for children with disabilities in Kosovo; serves the same beneficiary segments and funding ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Red Cross of Kosovo: Established humanitarian organization with nationwide Kosovo presence and overlapping vulnerable-population service delivery (mobility aids, rehabilitation support) in similar donor networks.
• SOS Children's Villages Kosovo: International NGO providing child and family welfare services in Kosovo with overlapping beneficiary demographics including children with disabilities; shares similar grantor base.
• World Vision Kosovo: Large international NGO operating across Kosovo with broader child-welfare and disability programming; overlaps HANDIKOS's beneficiary base but with wider thematic scope.

Emerging players

• Disability Partnership Finland: Finnish accessibility/disability NGO that provides training partnerships to HANDIKOS through the EU-funded Inclusive Kosovo project; functionally aligned as a capacity-building peer in cross-border programming.
• Norwegian People's Aid Kosovo: Norwegian NGO operating disability-inclusion and civic-space programs in Kosovo with overlapping donor base (Norwegian MFA) and similar service-delivery model to HANDIKOS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/handikos

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Handikos