Portraits: Shkendije Himaj
12 images Created 1 Mar 2023
This is a portrait of Shkendije Himaj, captured in Prishtina, Kosovo's capital, on Monday, February 27, 2023 (VX Photo/ Vudi Xhymshiti).
Shkendije Himaj, a 40-year-old woman, has an accomplished career in economics. She was born and raised in Decan, Dukagjini Plains of Western Kosovo and pursued her studies in economics at the University of Prishtina. During the war in 1997-1999, she and her husband sought refuge in Canada, where they were able to continue their education and work in the field of economics. In February 2004, they made the decision to return to Kosovo, driven by a strong commitment to contribute their knowledge and expertise to their home country.
Shkendije applied for a position in the Central Bank of Kosovo in 2004 and successfully went through a selection process involving representatives from the IMF and USAID. Her talent and hard work propelled her advancement within the institution, as she secured promotions through openly announced positions. However, her tenure at the Central Bank unexpectedly ended in May 2022 when she was informed of the termination of her contract by the current governor, Fehmi Mehmeti.
Despite this setback, Shkendije remains dedicated to her vision of ensuring equal access to banking products and services for all Kosovars. She firmly believes that financial inclusion plays a pivotal role in driving economic growth and reducing poverty. Shkendije's expertise and commitment have earned her recognition as a highly qualified candidate for the position of governor at the Central Bank of Kosovo. A British company hired to ensure merit-based hiring processes for high-level government public servants has ranked her as the top candidate.
Shkendije Himaj, a 40-year-old woman, has an accomplished career in economics. She was born and raised in Decan, Dukagjini Plains of Western Kosovo and pursued her studies in economics at the University of Prishtina. During the war in 1997-1999, she and her husband sought refuge in Canada, where they were able to continue their education and work in the field of economics. In February 2004, they made the decision to return to Kosovo, driven by a strong commitment to contribute their knowledge and expertise to their home country.
Shkendije applied for a position in the Central Bank of Kosovo in 2004 and successfully went through a selection process involving representatives from the IMF and USAID. Her talent and hard work propelled her advancement within the institution, as she secured promotions through openly announced positions. However, her tenure at the Central Bank unexpectedly ended in May 2022 when she was informed of the termination of her contract by the current governor, Fehmi Mehmeti.
Despite this setback, Shkendije remains dedicated to her vision of ensuring equal access to banking products and services for all Kosovars. She firmly believes that financial inclusion plays a pivotal role in driving economic growth and reducing poverty. Shkendije's expertise and commitment have earned her recognition as a highly qualified candidate for the position of governor at the Central Bank of Kosovo. A British company hired to ensure merit-based hiring processes for high-level government public servants has ranked her as the top candidate.