One of the families supported through the project “Strengthening of Young Roma Families” is the Vasic family: single mother Maja Vasic (36) with her two daughters Suhana (23), K. (15) and a son K. (13). The family lives in the unhygienic Roma settlement “Marija Bursać” in Zemun. They are beneficiaries of social welfare and receive child allowances. They spent one year in Germany, searching for a better life, but they were forced to return. The education of children was interrupted during their stay in Germany. Now everyone goes to school – K. attends the 6^th grade of regular school, while Suhana and her sister K. are enrolled in school for education of adults “Branko Pesic“. In order to earn for their living daughters help their mother in collecting secondary raw materials. What they collect, they sell on the market.

Sometimes we earn something, sometimes we don’t. It is never certain. This is not the job, this is mere survival, says Suhana.

Within the project Suhana started vocational training for hairdresser. She says that her greatest wish is to find a job and to have a secure income. She likes to make different hairstyles and often cuts and styles hairs of the boys and girls in the settlement even without adequate equipment. For that reason she has chosen the course for hairdresser as a profession she would like to do for living. Suhana is very happy saying the training is very interesting, with a lot of things to learn. She especially likes the practical courses at the hair salon, where she can acquire practical knowledge and skills.

Members of the family, within the Family Support Centre are getting support in structuring free time and preventing school dropout. Due to the work of the Centre, the youngest member, son K. who has a great talent for football, was enrolled into FC “Radnicki” and started training football free of charge. He also got complete football equipment and his whole family is very happy because of this

The great change occurred in the Vasic family, whose members now feel hope and see perspective in the future.

I’m very happy about the vocational training. I am happy because of my brother. This is a new opportunity for me and my family, says Suhana

The project “Strengthening of Young Roma Families” is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany. The project is implemented by ADRA Serbia in cooperation with ADRA Germany. The main implementing partners are “Branko Pesic” School for Primary and Adult Education and SOS Children’s Villages Serbia.