Stories of Change


Suada in the courtyard near her school.

Nothing can stop Suada

As a Roma woman in Belgrade, Suada has faced a lot of challenges in her life. She grew up in an informal settlement in the city. She had to help her mom with chores in the house and care for her siblings, so she didn’t have time to go to school.

Suada also has challenges hearing and speaking. Being a person with a disability on top of being an ethnic minority meant that she often faced double discrimination. Other members in her family had similar disabilities, so they didn’t have the resources or knowledge to help Suada get the care she needed. 

As we’ve learned, though, nothing can stop Suada.

She heard about a CWS-supported adult literacy class for women who weren’t able to finish primary school. She decided to join the classes. 

A previous student in the program was blind, but she managed to finish high school and find a job. So the program team had no second thoughts about welcoming Suada when she approached them and expressed her interest in learning. Her teacher has basic sign language skills thanks to a local center for people with hearing impairments, which made it easier to communicate with Suada. 

Suada is a regular attendee of the classes and, we’re excited to say, is making great progress. She is enthusiastic during class, and her favorite subjects are math and calculus. Everyone in the class is struck by her will and determination to finish her education. As for the future, Suada says that she will pursue training as a hairdresser once she finishes her primary education so that one day she can open her own hair salon.