Owing to this scholarship, I succeeded to achieve my greatest wish – to study
Ardita Ramadani – a Scholarship Holder, a student of Special Rehabilitation and Education at the Faculty of Medicine at University of Novi SadAfter completion of the secondary school, you wanted to study, but it was under the question mark because of adverse material situation in the family. Owing to the scholarship, you have succeeded after all.
I wanted to enrol the faculty, but I didn't know if it was possible at all considering that I lived in a six-member family and only my dad worked so our resources were not satisfactory. Therefore, I decided to get a job right after the secondary school. In the meantime, I was invited by the Association of Roma Students at Novi Sad and told that I can apply for RHSP scholarship. Naturally, I didn't want to miss the opportunity. I started cooperation with them, attended the faculty preparation courses and after taking the entrance examination I was the first on the list for my department.
Owing to this scholarship, I succeeded to achieve my greatest wish – to study. Especially at the Faculty of Medicine which is one of the most prestigious and reputable faculties. I could, therefore, dedicate myself fully to the faculty obligations without the slightest thought of financial difficulties, payment of exams... Simply, I could relax and focus on leaning. It was my only obligation; the scholarship was there for everything else. I procured everything necessary for my education, and my family felt a huge financial relief as they did not have to worry for me in that respect.
You study at the Department of Special Rehabilitation and Education of the Faculty of Medicine at University of Novi Sad, the fourth academic year. What have been your experiences at the faculty so far? Are you satisfied? Have your expectations been fulfilled?
Mainly, they have. I like working with people, particularly with children, and this profession will enable me to do so. I am finishing the studies in about a month and a half. It seems to me that everything has passed so quickly. Basically, I am satisfied with the achieved results. I've done my best to study more, to be better, and to acquire more experience and I think it has all compensated. There remains just a little more, and the end. After the basic studies, I plan to apply for one-year long Master Degree of Special Rehabilitation.
All the time during the studies you had a mentor. How important was it and how much did it make your studies easier?
I had a very good cooperation with my mentor and it helped me a lot. She gave me useful pieces of advice, rendered me support, instructed me what literature to use, helped me write my seminar papers and choose the themes.
How important, in your opinion, is the education of the Roma and how much does it contribute to prejudice-breaking about your ethnic group?
I think that education can help us to improve not only our own lives, but also the circumstances of the whole population. We, the Roma students, are endeavouring to be good examples to our younger compatriots, to motivate them to follow our path and thus to prove to the broader population that we have equal opportunity in education, that there is no difference among us, that we can finish the faculties and get the job, that we are equally competent as all the others.
Now, you are finishing the studies and you told me your younger sister is planning to enrol psychology, whereas the youngest brother and sister attend school. You are an excellent example, not only for the Roma community, but for the society in general.
My sister is now about to enrol psychology, my brother is in the second year of the secondary school, and my youngest sister is in the fourth grade of elementary school. Our parents have done their best for us, indeed. They knew what was important for success. My father also finished the faculty, the Military Academy. It is very important that parents recognize how essential education is. If there is no one to work with children at home, then it is a huge problem. If the parents don't see the importance of education, it is difficult for a child alone to develop.
Are you active in the Roma community and to what extent?
We work with the Roma children from Novi Sad. We help them learn, we motivate them... We are an example, not only to our community but to the broader society as well. We were also engaged in some serious projects where we represented the rights of the Roma, negotiated with the representatives of the authorities and institutions in order to improve their status. Last year, we demanded from the Assembly of the City of Novi Sad to earmark the budget funds for payment of medicines from the negative list for chronic patients from the settlement Bangladeš, which is the most vulnerable settlement in Novi Sad. Previously, we demanded that this settlement gets waste containers, which did not exist there so dumps were made causing various contagious diseases. Out of our own budget and with their help, we bought three big containers and now the city utility goes there regularly and collects the garbage.
