My name is Zaprinka Orlinova, and I’m from the village of Kovachevo, in the Septemvri municipality. In our community, most people work abroad. Those who remain usually work in the fields, in factories, or in small plants. Almost everyone collects scrap metal and other materials to sell in order to make a living. For most boys, the big dream is to get a driver’s license; for girls, it’s to marry into a good family.
My family is large — my parents, my three sisters, my brother, and me. My mother, who has a high school education, works in an auto parts factory. My father, who completed primary school, works as a builder in the village. We often face financial difficulties, especially at the start of the school year, since all of us are still studying.
Since I was little, I’ve dreamed of becoming a doctor so I can help people. The medical preparatory course* was my chance — the preparation I truly needed. I worried a lot about how my classmates would treat me. That’s why I was overjoyed when I found out I had been accepted.
The first weeks were the hardest — getting used to the travel to Sofia, the pressure of the big city. The course was the greatest challenge of my life. I was supported by my family, my classmates, my teachers — especially Prof. Tarnev and Mr. Tonchev — as well as by former students who encouraged us. But my biggest moral support came from my sisters.
The material in Biology and Chemistry wasn’t so much difficult as enormous in volume. I worried there wouldn’t be enough time. When I saw my results, I felt disappointed — I had expected more from myself. But then I was admitted. The joy was overwhelming, because I knew my efforts hadn’t been in vain. My family was proud, even if in the neighborhood some people thought I was becoming a nurse rather than a doctor.
Today, I keep moving forward. My plans haven’t changed — I want to study Medicine and become a doctor. I know even more studying lies ahead. Our biggest fears are financial — how we’ll manage the costs, and that I won’t see my family as often.
I want to be an example for the young people in my community — to show them not to give up on their studies so they can have a good profession. My dream is to become a successful doctor and to practice here in Bulgaria.
А year later
My first year at university was both a trial and a huge change. At first, it was hard to adapt to the new, larger city, to the new way of life, and most of all to the enormous volume of study material. My daily routine changed completely, and for a long time I struggled to adjust. The greatest challenge was developing a strategy to memorize such a large amount of knowledge in such a short time.
Today, however, I am proud — I passed every single first-year exam on my very first attempt and completed the year with an overall grade of “Very Good” — 5.33.
Zaprinka 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).
In the 2024/2025 academic year, all 6 participants in the course were admitted to study Medicine or Pharmacy – their top choice. 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.
Support young people like Zaprinka—the future doctors, pharmacists, and dentists of Bulgaria—you can make a donation to:
Bulgarian Postbank
IBAN: BG88BPBI79401064780501
BIC: BPBIBGSF
Reference: “Medical students”
The account belongs to the National Network of Health Mediators.