Rozana Bozovic: We Roma can only achieve something if we stick together

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Thursday, 02 July 2020 14:10

Rozana Bozovic, a representative of the NGO Roma Movement from Bijelo Polje, says she will never give up on education – both, formal and nonformal, despite the difficulties, because only then she can help her community. Although young, through the NGO Roma Movement, she is our active associate. She is currently helping to enroll Roma children in kindergartens, primary and secondary schools within the project New beginning for 500 Roma students because, as she says, the inclusion of children in the education system must be a natural thing. Rozana participated in numerous projects, worked at the Vocational High School, and after the REspect campaign, her face became recognizable in Bijelo Polje. Her name is often mentioned in the media, and why this hard-working and capable girl deserved much more, find out in the lines that follow.

The NGO Young Roma announced a call to hire 13 field associates on the territory of Montenegro to assist children and families from the Roma and Egyptian communities in enrolling in educational institutions (preschool, primary and secondary education). You are in charge of Bijelo Polje. Describe your impressions from the field. Is there any interest in enrolling? What obstacles do you encounter?

BOZOVIC: I participated in several projects last year, but this is my first solo engagement. I am proud of this success that is accompanied by great anxiety, I guess due to the responsibility I have. Many will find it strange that I see this engagement as a success, but for us, from Bijelo Polje Roma community it is so because this task is more than a project engagement, a fee... For me and Roma women, this is an acknowledgment that we are needed to, both, Roma and the majority community in the process of Roma integration. Impressions from the field are anticipated and positive. Last year, as a member of the local action group in the community formed within the ROMACTED program and with other activists and members of the Roma community, I worked to inform about the importance of education for the overall progress of our community. It seems to me that we have achieved success and the inclusion of children in the educational process is a `natural` thing for most Roma families. But we must not stop right now. That is why this support is crucial at this time when children's enrollment is ongoing at all levels of education. Some need little, some more support, but it is important to remind the Roma community that it has the support and is not alone. We have children enrolled in kindergartens, there are many newly enrolled in primary school and only one is newly enrolled in secondary school. Only one student finished elementary school this school year.

Do your parents support and encourage you to get educated?

BOZOVIC: I finished elementary school regularly and stopped there. However, two years ago, through support under the ROMACTED programme, a dozen young Roma men and women (I must point out there are more Roma women), myself included, have continued to get an extramural education. We all have the support not only of the family but also of the entire Roma community, which is especially important. I take this opportunity to thank them. I must point out that my two younger siblings attend school regularly.

You worked at a Vocational High School for a few months. What tasks did you do?

BOZOVIC: Some seemingly small things for members of the majority community were the driving force for us Roma. Last year, two members of the Roma population and I were employed in the Secondary Vocational School through the Employment Agency of Montenegro. And not as a hygienist, but in the school library. You can imagine how the three of us felt those few months while working on various tasks. Every week I stop by that library and there I feel at home, I feel I belong there. Now my Roma friends come to the library and take books to read. These days, most of us have borrowed the novels The Bridge on the Drina, Migration, The Outsider, or The Damned Yard to prepare for fall semester exams over the summer.

Apart from other organizations, the NGO Roma Movement was a beneficiary of small grants within the project Joint Initiative for Strengthening the Roma Civil Sector in the Western Balkans and Turkey funded by the European Union. The NGO Young Roma is a partner organization for Montenegro. How satisfied are you with cooperation with NGO Young Roma?

BOZOVIC: NGO Young Roma has played a crucial role in advancing the Roma integration process in the municipality of Bijelo Polje. Prior to supporting our organization, they helped the NGO Culture Club. In order to achieve results when working with marginalized groups, activists must feel the problems of that group and sincerely fight for the realization of their rights. For years, work has been done on the integration of Roma in Bijelo Polje, and we Roma are extras in that process. We were present at some info-sessions and users of so-called help but we were not actors in the process itself. With these grants, the NGO Young Roma activated members of the Roma and majority communities who were engaged with their hearts and not their pockets. I hope that satisfaction with cooperation is mutual and that it will continue in the future.

One of the projects supported last year through the small grants program is Capacity Building of the Roma Civil Sector which was implemented by your organization in partnership with the NGO Roma from the North. What has been achieved, are you satisfied with the results?

BOZOVIC: The results of the mentioned project are satisfactory. I think we have achieved much more than we and the donor – NGO Young Roma - expected. First of all, partnerships between Roma NGOs in Bijelo Polje have been strengthened. Secondly, also important, Roma from the municipality of Bijelo Polje acquired basic knowledge and skills for working on a computer (MS Word and the Internet). Many young people from the Roma community were interested in digital literacy, and the project participants were more than satisfied with the acquired knowledge in the field of digital communication. Roma recognized the importance of education and learning for further life, and thus work. They were told that they can only get adequate employment if they are constantly learning and improving, which will significantly improve their social and material position.

Was there any progress and information on resolving the Roma housing issue?

BOZOVIC: I cannot say that concrete results are visible, negotiations with the local government and the Roma community are still ongoing. Shortly, we expect a final solution to the aforementioned problem, one that will benefit everyone, primarily the Roma from the Roma settlement of Rakonje.

How important is the cooperation of Roma organizations? You and Zineta Selimovic are quite recognized in Bijelo Polje and by your actions, you encourage Roma women to be actively involved in social trends.

BOZOVIC: The precondition for successful integration is primarily good cooperation and healthy communication among the Roma. The most important thing is that we got to know ourselves. We have faced our biggest `enemy` and that is our Roma discord, thanks to the activism of us individuals from the community. We realized that only through harmony, togetherness, the struggle for the realization of the collective good can the realization of the individual good come about. Conversely, as we have done so far, is wrong and we are now aware of it. Now we don't care which NGO will be supported by donors. We know that the whole community will benefit and that the project holder is the least important. Indeed, in addition to me and Zineta, it would be correct to mention at least Esko, Tanja, Vinetu, and many others who are more than active in all our activities. We certainly owe gratitude to the Center for Entrepreneurship, NGO Culture Club, NGO Lens, individuals from the majority community such as Goran, Mernisa, Amel, who are our friends.

The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union and the Council of Europe