My name is Lyubo Dzheta. In my hometown of Knezha, there are two Roma communities. The people in mine come from all walks of life – many have been working abroad for years, while those who remain here have different jobs: cleaners, factory workers in town or nearby villages, truck drivers, construction workers, and more. The main challenges people face are financial, and almost every family has at least one relative living abroad. Our neighborhood has produced many educated individuals – doctors, finance experts, engineers, pharmacists, nurses, and even a biologist. Many of them now work in other cities, but some have chosen to stay and work locally. The young people are also quite diverse. Many aspire to continue their education after high school – studying economics, law, agronomy, and other fields. Of course, there are also some who haven’t pursued further education, and a few who weren’t able to complete high school.
I live with my mother and grandmother. My mother works as a cook at a local hotel and has a vocational high school education. I’m an only child. We get by on her salary, with some help from my grandmother. Things can be tight, but we manage to live decently. Now that I’m a student, though, I’m not sure how we’ll cope financially.
When I was little, I was curious about everything and dreamed of becoming many things, but being a doctor always stood out above the rest. Right before I joined the course, my goal was to focus my ambitions in one direction and start taking preparatory classes or training — without realizing that the right opportunity was just around the corner.
I applied for the course because it was an amazing chance to get the best possible preparation. When I first heard about it, I couldn’t believe it was real. I was really excited, but also a bit nervous — mostly about having to travel so often (which, around here, is quite a challenge) and to such a big city. When I found out I’d been accepted, I felt a deep sense of symbolic victory. It wasn’t just that I proved to myself I was worthy of this path — it was also that medicine had truly won a place in my heart and mind.
The hardest part of the course was trying to balance my studies for the program with my schoolwork back in Knezha. The course always seemed to take priority. Traveling was tough at first, but I got used to it quickly. I also missed a lot of events and parties because of it but I got used to that too.
I was really lucky to have people around me who believed in me — and they showed it through both words and actions. My family and my classroom teacher, Mrs. Drashanska, were always supportive. I also received incredible moral support from Prof. Tarnev and the project coordinator, Dr. Tonchev, as well as my wonderful colleagues — they all knew I could do it and gave me strength. And from my chemistry teacher, Assoc. Prof. Kotseva, I often got guidance and help over the phone whenever I faced tough assignments.
At first, I honestly thought I wouldn’t make it — the biology and chemistry material was so hard that I even considered dropping out. I had never had to deal with so much information in such a short time. But once I started getting good grades, my confidence grew, and I knew I could do it.
The person who supported me the most was my colleague — and now one of my closest friends — David. No matter what challenges I faced during the course, he always found a way to make them feel smaller and easier to handle. He became a university student last year, and throughout my exams, he kept encouraging me and giving me confidence.
During my chemistry and biology exams, I imagined everything — from the worst-case to the best-case scenario. But deep down, I trusted myself and the effort I’d put into two years of hard work. So when I learned that I’d been accepted to every university I applied to, I knew all that effort had paid off. I was overjoyed — it felt like I had finally taken the first step toward my dream.
All my friends and relatives were thrilled when they heard I’d been accepted to the Medical University in Sofia. People from the neighborhood would stop me in the street to congratulate me, and others called my mom just to share their excitement. Everyone was genuinely impressed and acknowledged how hard it is to get in.
After the summer break, my plan is to study hard and get fully involved in university life. I want to join student groups and become part of the community as much as possible. A year ago, I wasn’t sure I could make it, but I always believed that hard work can overcome doubt. Now that effort has paid off — for me, it’s proof that anything is possible. That’s the change: what once was uncertainty has turned into confidence.
My family and I are mostly worried about how we’ll handle the financial side of my studies. Financial worries are the one thing that could really distract me from focusing on my education.
Medicine is a noble profession. As a doctor, you serve others. If I manage to graduate and earn a specialization, I won’t just be helping myself, but also my patients and society as a whole. I’d love to return to my community one day and give back in any way I can.
*Lyubo is a participant in preparatory courses in Biology, Chemistry, and Bulgarian Language & Literature, part of the project “Candidate-student courses for young people of Roma origin for admission to medical universities in Bulgaria”—funded by TSA and implemented by the Health Problems of Minorities Foundation (HPMF). Over the past 20 years, more than 100 young Roma girls and boys have taken part in the Biology and Chemistry preparatory courses organized by Prof. Ivaylo Tarnev and his HPMF team. Over 60 of them have gone on to study Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, and other health-related fields. Today, most are working as doctors in leading Bulgarian hospitals, in smaller municipal hospitals, and in emergency medical centers.
The project seeks to help overcome barriers to preparation and admission for Roma students aspiring to study Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmacy. We provide highly motivated young people with free access to life-changing preparatory courses. Despite these efforts, many youth still face difficulties, as they come from working poor families and towns with limited opportunities.