Enisa Ademaj i Sadija Ibrahimi: Don’t get married early, get education and believe in your dreams
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- Thursday, 30 July 2020 11:05
Enisa and Sadija have recipe for dolce vita. These two talented confectioners will sweeten your bitter day. In every chocolate, Raffaello ball, hazelnut praline, hides the touch of love.
The graduates of the School for trading, tourism, and hospitality Sergije Stanic delighted the guests of the hotel Podgoricawith their skills, showing their knowledge from the school. In Titeks, they diligently made delicious desserts that reached various pastry shops in the city.
Enisa and Shadija told us about their vocation, creativity, and the opportunities it offers, life behind the cake, schooling, socializing, plans for the future. Both would be happiest if they got a job as soon as possible. They say that they would sweeten their own, but also the days of everyone who tastes their desserts. That is why we want them to fulfill their goal as soon as possible and take their place in the kingdom of sweet tastes!
Now that you graduated, what memories do you have of schooling? What are the most beautiful memories?
ADEMAJ: I have beautiful memories, but finishing school does not mean the end of a friendship. I'll be in touch and I'm already with some. I even have friends from elementary school. As for the relationship of the professor, everything was fine; I had a very good class. Unfortunately, we did not have a prom night.
IBRAHIMI: I will miss the company the most, my friends. I had no problems. All the teachers and class elders treated me well. I hung out with everyone, not only with members of the Roma community, but also with the majority community, and we still hang out.
Was it difficult to learn from home during the first wave of the coronavirus? Did you have devices through which you communicated with professors, mediators, performed tasks?
ADEMAJ: It wasn't easy, but the donation of the NGO Young Roma helped me a lot, made my work easier because I didn't have a tablet or a phone.
IBRAHIMI: I didn't have a tablet, so this help from the Young Roma organization was welcome and helped me master the material.
You are a beneficiary of the mentoring program implemented within the project Increasing access and participation of Roma students in secondary education and the transition to the labor market. How much did the support of the mentor help you?
ADEMAJ: Mentor Natasa helped me master the material, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was always there for me.
IBRAHIMI: My mentor Jelena meant a lot to me and I owe her a lot of gratitude. Without her, I would not have been able to achieve everything.
Tell us more about the practice you did in the hotel Podgorica and Titeks.
ADEMAJ: We have practical classes at the school, and last summer I did an internship at the Podgorica hotel through the NGO Young Roma. From there I carry a nice experience. I met wonderful people, I made a lot of friends. I worked for four hours, so I got everything. I made money to help my family. I could even transfer some experience from school to a hotel.
IBRAHIMI: Apart from school, I was an internship at the Podgorica hotel for two years and at Titeks during the third grade. I learned a lot, we made pancakes, princess donuts, strudels, rafaelo, chocolate balls ...
Tell us something about your family.
ADEMAJ: My family has 10 members. I am the only child who finished high school. My two sisters and brother are in school. The brother will be sixth, the sister seventh and the youngest sister will start the third grade. No one is employed. Dad is a hairdresser but has not found a job. My mother is a housewife.
IBRAHIMI: Mother does not work, she did not finish school, nor did the father. He manages as he knows and can so that we can afford the basics of life. I am the oldest of six children and the only one to have finished high school. I have three brothers and they are all in school. The oldest attends the ninth, the middle the sixth, and the youngest brother will go to the first grade. We live on social assistance, we pay taxes, rent. Is not easy at all.
In Roma families, girls get married early, what is the attitude of your parents on this issue? Is the situation, when it comes to that, better than before?
ADEMAJ: Although my mother got married when she was 14, they support me in my goal to go to school, work, choose my future, to live life. Now the situation is more favorable, girls have more will to get an education. Contracted marriages are now much rarer.
IBRAHIMI: I also have the support of my parents to go to school, to progress, because they know that it is difficult to get a job without a diploma, so marriage is currently in the background. Earlier, parents did not allow female children to go to school, but now that attitude is changing.
What is the biggest problem in Roma settlements in Konik?
IBRAHIMI: It’s crowded. I wish it was a quieter neighborhood. It’s nice to have everyone in one place, but there are too many of us.
ADEMAJ: Noise. Parking that is made poses a danger to children. It would be much better if a park or a playroom was built.
What would employment mean to you?
ADEMAJ: For me, working in confectionery would be the realization of my aspiration. That would be a confirmation of my hard work, of what I was educated for. I would feel useful, independent and I could help my family.
IBRAHIMI: It would mean something to me because that would help my family. We have a hard time surviving. Without a job, I would feel bad, because if I already have a degree in confectionery, I think I should find a job.
What cake would you use to present your art?
ADEMAJ: Rafaelo cake and chocolate balls. I participated in a school competition and won third place. The jury especially liked my decoration.
IBRAHIMI: That would be a chocolate cake, one of my favorites.
Have your friends found employment in the profession?
ADEMAJ, IBRAHIMI: Some are waiting for a job, some have found it. Mostly these are seasonal jobs and not necessarily in the profession. Some of our friends also work as salespeople.
Would you like to start your own business one day, open a pastry shop?
ADEMAJ: I wrote about it at the final exam on plans after high school. I would like to gain more experience, and after that to open my own pastry shop and create recipes, make some new, unimagined cakes. As I mentioned, confectionery offers you the opportunity to express creativity. It’s kind of an art form.
Do you have a message for your peers, members of the Roma community?
ADEMAJ: My message mostly refers to young Roma women. I advise them not to get married early, to educate themselves to present themselves in the best light. To believe in their dreams, to be friends with themselves and others.
IBRAHIMI: Respect yourself, others, parents in particular. Be diligent; help your family by getting an education and getting a job.
Author: Milena Cavic, NGO Young Roma
Text adapted by: Samir Jaha
The views expressed in this text should in no way be considered the views of the NGO Young Roma, the Roma Education Fund and the European Union
