Magdalena Lindova is a Roma woman who knows her community inside out and works tirelessly for its development, setting a personal example. She was born in the village of Rogozen, Vratsa region, where she holds the position of deputy mayor in the municipal administration. Her professional career has taken her through various positions in local government. She has been a municipal councilor and a junior expert on ethnic and demographic issues
Her connection to the Roma community is deeply personal; she grew up in it and is well aware of the difficulties children face. This is what motivates her to work for them: “I know how little support and understanding are sometimes needed for a child to show their potential,” Lindova shares.
The trust that the community has in her has been built up over many years and is based primarily on her personal example. She never stops learning—she graduated in industrial energy, continued her education in public administration, and later graduated from the Faculty of Law at Veliko Tarnovo University. “People see my determination to develop myself as a good example, and perhaps that makes them trust me. They see that I don’t give up and that I help when I can,” says Magdalena. It is precisely her consistency and open declaration of her ethnic origin that create trust and respect.
When asked by the TSA team, “What inspires you in your professional career?” Lindova does not mention a specific person, but rather people in general who lend a helping hand in difficult times: “I believe that when you are in a dead end, God sends someone to lend you a hand and help you. These people are a real inspiration to me.”
Magdalena has had her share of difficult moments, but giving up is not an option, she says emphatically. “If I stop, things won’t get better.”
She sends an encouraging message to young professionals who are just starting to work with children from the Roma community, namely that hard work always pays off, if not immediately, then in different ways. Working with people and cases develops, teaches, and helps a person discover their own calling. This is how the deputy mayor of Rogozan, Ms. Lingova, found her path and decided to devote herself to law as a tool for protection, support, and change.
The message she wants to leave with readers is simple and powerful:
“Do good without expecting anything in return. Life always gives back more than you give.”
The interview is part of the “Voices of REYN” series, which presents stories from members of the Network.