Luiza is a young Roma activist from Zaporizhzhia.

We’ve known her and her family for over three years, ever since the start of russia’s full-scale invasion. That’s when they first reached out to us for humanitarian aid, and later, for financial support. Today, Luiza is a part of our team, working as a Case Manager in the Voice of Romni office in Zaporizhzhia. And now, we want to share her journey with you.

Her journey with us began when she enrolled in a Voice of Romni retraining course, supported by HIAS Ukraine—an opportunity she heard about from her sister:

“I hadn’t taken any courses with Voice of Romni before, but my younger sister did a year ago — she joined a manicure training course. She’s very grateful: she received a starter kit and now works doing manicures for our whole family, her friends, and everyone who books with her. It was from her that I first heard about these courses, and when a new round of registration opened, I decided to apply too.I wanted to improve my computer skills to study more effectively and find a better job.”

Our course is designed to teach women basic computer skills from the ground up. We understand that not every Roma family can afford a computer at home; in fact, there are settlements where several families share a single phone. But working with documents, processing data, and creating spreadsheets and presentations—these are fundamental skills in today’s world. Without them, it’s difficult to pursue further education, let alone find stable work in many fields. That’s why we guide the participants through these skills, step by step.

“First, we went through programs like Word and Excel, and then PowerPoint. What I enjoyed most was learning how to create a presentation in PowerPoint. I didn’t even know a program like that existed before,” shares Luiza.

Before joining the Voice of Romni team, Luiza and her family received comprehensive support from our organization, which made a significant difference in their lives:

“We started by receiving humanitarian aid in the form of food packages. Then, we registered for financial assistance. Now, I’m taking this course. My sister took a course. She also attends the children’s center at Voice of Romni. Basically, we take advantage of all the programs the organization offers. Thank you, Voice of Romni, for the chance to grow, to pursue my dreams, and to improve my skills in all areas of life.”

Luiza’s story is another testament to the fact that investing in women’s education and leadership truly works. We are incredibly proud to have her on our team today, where she helps others believe in themselves and realize their own potential.