Mirsada Demiri is 35 years old and mother of three sons and a daughter. After almost ten years, during which she lived in Germany and Italy, Demiri and her family returned to Serbia in 2016. Today, she lives in Belgrade.
“I have done all kinds of things in my life. I am doing my best to make ends meet”, says Demiri, who dropped out of school to help in the household and who therefore has no primary school degree. She thus shares the destiny of many women, who belong to the Roma minority.
In Belgrade, Demiri benefited from advisory services of the organisation “The Little Prince”, which is supported by the regional project “Modernisation of Municipal Services”. The organisation provides advice and raises awareness of parents regarding the needs of their children in order to improve the situation faced by Roma children. It also aims to prevent a high rate of school dropouts and child marriages among Roma girls.
However, the counselling sessions also serve the purpose of supporting parents themselves. In-depth discussions aim at identifying informally acquired competences and registering them in the so-called “competency passport”.
Thanks to the counselling, Demiri has acquired new self-confidence and her competences have been convincing in the labour market. Today, she works at a laundromat in Belgrade. She would like to ensure sound education for her children, including her daughter.
Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development Programme “Return to New Opportunities” – Perspectives for Staying in the Country