Tetiana is another participant in our new retraining courses, which have already started at the women’s space of “Voice of Romni” in Zaporizhzhia, supported by HIAS Ukraine.

This isn’t the first time she has decided to change her life for the better, as she has previously expanded her professional skills with us.

Earlier, Tetiana successfully completed pastry-making courses, which allowed her to find a good job and do what she loves—preparing sweets and baking cakes. Unfortunately, due to the war, she lost her stable income. However, Tetiana did not give up. After seeing an announcement on our social media about manicure courses, she decided to seize a new opportunity:

“Three of us from the same family joined: me, my sister, and my niece. We lost our jobs, so we decided to acquire a new profession. This is a chance to become more independent. We will study, and I hope we’ll earn diplomas. If everything works out, we’ll be able to earn money even from home. It’s exciting and promising for us.”

Our support for Tetiana goes beyond professional training. Her children attend activities in our child-friendly space and receive psychological assistance. This summer, they also participated in our camp in the Carpathians.

“The children loved it,” Tetiana shares. “The air there is completely different, and the people have a unique attitude and understanding. It’s incredibly important for us, especially during the war. And when my father’s house was damaged by a missile strike, ‘Voice of Romni’ immediately arrived and installed new windows. They provided us with both humanitarian aid and financial assistance. I wish the organization prosperity. For us, Roma, it’s a pillar of support!”

For our team, it’s a great joy to see women gaining new knowledge, finding inspiration, achieving their goals, and changing their lives. “Voice of Romni” will continue supporting them, creating new opportunities for those striving for a better future.

The retraining and professional development courses for Roma women were supported by HIAS Ukraine in partnership with the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA). The views expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect those of HIAS or JFNA.