Twenty three-year-old Borislav Borisov does not view his success as an exception. He contends that there are many other well educated young Roma people with academic achievements. He claims he knows personally at least 200 Roma people at his age who have a Bachelor's or a Master's degree. “I was lucky that people learned about me”, Borislav contends. In his view, other people remain unnoticed, because mass media are not interested in positive examples. The media mainly deal with problematic issues, pay attention to scandalous situations. However, official statistics does not hide the bad reality. According to the latest census in 2011, the number of the children of Roma origin who drop out of school is highest and only 0.5% of the representatives of this ethnic group manage to graduate from university. Perhaps, that is why people continue to view Borislav's story as a sensation. Recently he graduated as a medical laboratory assistant at the Medical College Yordanka Filaretova. “When I was a child, my biggest dream was to become a medical man, to help people and save lives”, Borislav explains. He joined a Master's program at the New Bulgarian University, majoring in speech therapy and child psychology.

 “The job of a laboratory assistant is useful, because you work with all types of people: from children to elderly people with various illnesses. I like to work with children and my major in child psychology will help me predispose them well, so I can do a better job. Foreign experience shows that there are psychologists in every hospital who make the patient feel better. That is why I believe psychology would help me when I work with patients.”

Borislav told Radio Bulgaria that he has always received his parents' support. “The positive role in a given family environment is a key factor for the proper development of each child”, Borislav contends and adds:

 “All young people, especially the Roma minority, face a series of difficulties. Some people are filled with prejudice towards them. In the beginning of my university studies my colleagues and my lecturers did not know me, but they had something in mind: “Well, he is a Gypsy, therefore he is bad”, is what they probably thought about me. It was very difficult for me until the moment I proved myself and people got to know me better. However, later I was appointed to become the person in charge of the course. I also became the first Roma standard-bearer in the history of the Medical College.”

Although it was easier for Borislav to find a job in his field of studies in the capital city Sofia, he preferred to return to his native town of Montana. “I love my city. I have many friends there and I keep many positive memories and emotions from this place. Moreover, I think I would be useful to my town”. Borislav did not tell us why he could not start working as a tester in Montana. Currently he is a social worker at a Complex for Social Services and works mainly with children at risk. However, the young man did not lose his courage. He found his current job useful, too. “I gained valuable experience, which would help me find a job in my field of study”. Although he knows that there is a high demand of experts in West European countries, he prefers to stay in Bulgaria”.

 “I received several job offers from some good English and German hospitals, but I think people still need me here. I want to stay in Bulgaria and work for my fellow countrymen. However, I would try to make a career abroad, if the situation in this country forces me to do so.”

English version: Kostadin Atanasov

Photos: private library