With the beginning of the new academic year, five courageous women and girls embark on the journey of fulfilling their dreams – to study at university and become nurses and midwives.
Fabiana from Kyustendil, Fize from Burgas, as well as Ina, Asya, and Stefani from Montana are the newest scholarship recipients of the “Home-Visitors Scholarship Program”. They joined the initiative at the start of 2025 as university applicants and spent six months diligently preparing for admission to the Nursing and Midwifery programs. Today, they are already students – one step closer to their dream profession.
Since 2020 and up until mid-2025, the program has supported more than 50 women from over 20 towns and villages across the country – through preparatory courses, scholarships, and mentorship.
Nineteen scholarship recipients have already graduated and are now working in Bulgarian hospitals. Each one of them is proof that when support meets perseverance, the result is success. The mission of the program is to encourage Roma women to pursue a career in healthcare.
The Support
The support is comprehensive: an annual scholarship, mentorship from university professors and medical specialists, volunteering opportunities within the Roma community, as well as annual gatherings of all scholarship recipients for mutual inspiration and exchange of experience.
The participants’ profiles are diverse and inspiring – from women around 50 years old who want to remain in their communities and contribute to their development, to young girls from vulnerable families for whom access to higher education would otherwise be nearly unattainable.
Why is this important?
The significance of this program becomes even more evident against the backdrop of the severe shortage of nurses in Bulgaria. According to a 2022 report by the Bulgarian Association of Healthcare Professionals, the country needs an additional 30,000 nurses to reach the recommended ratio of one doctor to two nurses. Currently, only 22,300 nurses work in the healthcare system, 32% of whom are over 65 years old, with an average age of 58. Forecasts suggest that in 10–15 years, nearly half of them will retire. This makes nursing one of the most promising and socially significant careers in the country.
At the same time, among Roma women there is enormous untapped potential. Supporting their education not only helps address the staffing shortage but also creates role models for the entire community. Successful students and graduates in nursing and midwifery inspire young people – especially girls – to believe in the power of education and to dream boldly.
The program provides more than scholarships – it builds a future. It creates a network of professionals who bring change: healthier communities, more justice, and hope for a better society.
With every new student, with every graduate nurse or midwife, the program proves: when we believe in dreams and support women to pursue them, the whole society benefits. This is real change – inspiring, sustainable, and in need of support from all of us.