INTERVIEW: Sebastijan Baftijari - our new intern: No one can take away your knowledge

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Wednesday, 18 November 2020 13:44

In order to strengthen the individual capacities of members of the Roma community, to improve the work of non-governmental organizations, the NGO Young Roma recognized Sebastijan Baftijari as a hard-working student, dedicated volunteer and Roma activist. Our new intern is an excellent student of the fourth grade of the Secondary Vocation School Spasoje Raspopovic in Podgorica, majoring in laboratory technology and he joined our work on improving the position of the Roma community. Sebastian, guided by the example of his older brother Serdjan, who was our intern for two years, plans to continue his education and dedicate himself to Roma inclusion.

As part of our support program Increasing access and participation of Roma students in secondary education and transition to the labour market last year during the summer break you did an internship at the Institute of Metrology. Tell us something about that experience.

BAFTIJARI: Through the NGO Young Roma in the Department of Metrology I had the opportunity to do a professional internship. I had a mentor who taught me a lot. In pharmacies I performed various laboratory procedures, analyzed medicines, controlled the work of laboratory equipment, instruments. I also did chemical calculations using Microsoft Excel.

You were our field associate on the project New beginning for 500 students and you were helping Roma families to enrol their children in kindergartens, primary and secondary schools. Describe, what was the most difficult task?

BAFTIJARI: One of the challenges I faced is the lack of children's documentation, but also the fear of parents to enrol their children in kindergartens due to the COVID-19 virus. When talking to children and parents about enrolling in high school, we had a problem with drop-out of the students’, either under the influence of parents, or because of their personal reasons. In addition to the above challenges, we enrolled a large number of children and students, we had a nice cooperation with them and their parents. We explained to them how school life works, what are the advantages, motivated them. I advise parents to do what is best for their children, and that is to give them a better future, because those children deserve to be educated.

Did you have the support of a mentor? How did your mentor help you?

BAFTIJARI: Through the NGO Young Roma, I was provided with mentoring support of mentor Danilo Mugosa. He is always there for us, providing help when we need it. Lately, mentors have also been facing the challenges of distance learning through online platforms. It would be nice if we had the opportunity for additional classes, tutoring classes. The classes in the school I attend are combined. We learn online through the Microsoft Teams application, but we do practical classes and consultations at school. The process is very demanding, but we are doing well and this system has its advantages.

Why is it important to get an education? Do you have a message for your peers?

BAFTIJARI: The message for my peers would be to finish high school because it will be much easier to find a job. I also advise them that if they do not want to continue their education, they should enrol in a vocational high school, because that way they will get a job sooner. They should ignore obstacles, because knowledge is unique and no one can take it away from them. I believe there are many Roma high school students who have potential. I tell them to dare and go to the master degree. Young people have to work on themselves, improve themselves constantly. By schooling, I do not mean only formal education, but also informal forms that provide, for example NGOs’. Seminars, meetings, workshops on some topics that are not represented in school are of great importance for the development of young people.

What should be given to Roma high school students? What kind of wind in the back they need?

BAFTIARI: They need motivation, concrete reasons why they need to be educated, constantly reminded of how important education is, create campaigns with a stronger impact. The support of the competent institutions is also important in all this. I suggest that trainings for mediators - associates in social inclusion need to be organized for members of the Roma community who have completed primary school.

Tell us something about extracurricular activities and your experience in the civil sector.

BAFTIJARI: I am a member of the section Love and chemistry, theatre beyond borders, a football section whose goal is to include students from all high schools in Podgorica. I have participated in a large number of seminars, workshops, I am a peer educator. My first volunteer steps were related to CAZAS, where I was part of numerous campaigns on healthy lifestyles, HIV prevention... As their volunteer I had the opportunity to visit Istanbul and Izmir and to discuss these and other topics related to human rights with peers from all over the world. From their stories, I realized that discrimination against members of minority nations is present in much more developed countries than Montenegro. That is why it is important to educate and inform ourselves.

Where do you see yourself in the coming period? Will you continue your education?

BAFTIJARI: It is certain that I will enrol in a faculty, but I am thinking between medicine, pharmacy and some faculty that has a certain number of subjects related to human rights. But, even if I decide to go with medicine, I will continue with social activism. I want to encourage young people to learn, work on themselves to be the wind that will motivate them.

Interview conducted by: Milena Cavic, NGO Young Roma

The views expressed in this article can in no way be considered the views of the NGO Young Roma, the Roma Education Fund and the European Union