In the northern Albanian town of Bajram Curri, nearly everyone we meet shares a story—of a brother, a sister, a cousin, or a friend who has left in search of a better life or hoping to support the family they left behind.

 Since the fall of Communism in 1991, Albania's economy has struggled. Unemployment remains widespread, and it’s estimated that nearly 40 percent of the population—mostly working-age men—have left the country, driven by deep poverty and a lack of hope for the future. Isolated towns like Bajram Curri have felt the loss more than most.

 This series offers a brief window into the lives of those who remained. Portraits of ordinary people I encountered on the street and the world they live in. It tells the story of resilience, quiet strength, and life in the shadows of migration.

See the full series here