Ferdane Hyuseinova is the director of the Vresovo kindergarten in the village of the same name in Ruse. She was born in the village of Cheresh and has been walking 6 kilometers to work every day for several decades. “I always wanted to be a teacher, it has always been in me and I never imagined that I could do anything else,” she says.
Her career began in 1986 as a primary school teacher, and since 2009 she has been the director of the kindergarten. Today, after nearly 40 years in education, she admits that the difficulties did not discourage her – on the contrary, they inspired her to seek solutions and move forward.
Around 75 children attend the Vresovo kindergarten, 90% of whom are of Roma origin. There is no ethnic tension among them; the children play, learn, and grow up together. Ferdane recalls that there was some division among the parents at first, but over time and thanks to the events, workshops, and gatherings organized by the kindergarten, people became closer and stopped putting up invisible barriers in the room. “Children are children, there are no yours, ours, theirs, Bulgarians, or Turks. It doesn’t matter to me, they are all the same,” says the director.
When asked what motivates her to work with children of Roma origin, Ferda admits that at first she had no particular reason to work in a predominantly Roma village, but gradually she saw her own childhood reflected in the young students. “I am Turkish, and when I was little, it was the same: girls did not study, they got married early. But today, as then, there is a huge need to work with families to make them believe in education.”
Ferdane’s professional approach is based on trust with families. They invite her to family events, share their problems with her, and seek her advice even on personal difficulties. “If you appreciate the person opposite you, they will appreciate you too. That’s my way,” she says.
For her, work is a mission. “If we can get one child out of the ghetto, they become a role model for others.” Over the years, she has seen more and more children coming to kindergarten regularly, well-groomed and open to the world. Her goal has always been to ensure that no child is left out of education, so that they can get to know the other side of life beyond the traditional values of their community.
Ferdane believes that teachers must also have a vision for the future. Her motto is:
“If you set a deadline for your dream, it becomes a goal. If you divide the goal into steps, it becomes a plan. If you implement the plan step by step, it is a dream come true.”
When asked how she copes on difficult days, she smiles and says that she tells herself, “It’s just a bad day, tomorrow will be better.” The strength to keep going comes from meeting former students who have succeeded in life and tell her, “Ma’am, if it weren’t for you…” That’s when she realizes that her efforts are worthwhile. “Maybe 5 out of 20 children won’t succeed, but if 15 do, that’s a big deal! It makes sense, I’m building people!”
Ferdane is an active participant in the REYN network, which she joined thanks to the “Champions” project in 2020 through Ms. Spaska Mihaylova. For her, the most valuable contribution of the network is the contacts and mutual support. “They may be on the other side of Bulgaria, like in Krivodol, but when you call and hear that they have encountered a similar problem, and even just talk about the situation with someone who understands you, the problem is already half solved. We are like a mutual aid group.”
She sends a message to young teachers:
“It makes sense! Working with children of Roma origin is much more rewarding because they need more support.”
The interview is part of the “Voices of REYN” series, which presents stories from members of the Network.