"I always wanted to study, work on myself, be better and among the best. I didn't want to embarrass myself or my family. I wanted to finish a good school."
Milica Šajn lives with her mother and grandmother in Ravno selo near the municipality of Vrbas. She graduated from Advanced School for Educators in Novi Sad and an additional nursery program. She chose this profession due to having several years of volunteering experience in working with children, which she gained before enrolling the Advanced School.
Milica’s first working experience was also related to working with children, within the program for inclusion of children living in low socio-economic conditions, which was implemented by the Red Cross. Through her work, she contributed to the enrollment of 30 children in preschool institutions and primary schools.
“During my studies, I led the program and monitored the progress of children from their second to their sixth year, when they begin with preschool education. I worked in the morning, and in the afternoon, I went to my lectures and exercises. I had to make some money to be able to buy books and scripts.”
Talking about the entrance exam for Advanced School for Educators, Milica remembers that she did not have a laptop or a computer to check the results. A month after the entrance exam, her friend told her that she is on the list of those admitted on a budget financed studies.
“I always wanted to study, work on myself, be better and among the best. I didn’t want to embarrass myself or my family. I wanted to finish a good school.”
After completing Bachelor studies, Milica enrolled a one-year nursery program and then immediately started attending internship at the kindergarten “Duga”. She completed her internship in April, during the state of emergency in the Republic of Serbia. Her wish was for the REF Serbia team to attend her state exam, and see how much she has progressed and learned during her internship within the project “Employment Empowerment of Young Roma – phase 2”. She deeply believes that the best way to show gratitude for the provided support and the opportunity to attend internship within the project is through her successes and achievements.
“I am very sorry that the circumstances did not allow anyone to attend the exam, especially because I was praised by the commission. And I’m even more sorry that during those months we had to work online with children. We were preparing them for school long before the state of emergency begun, and children worked very hard and progressed a lot. In the end, they didn’t even have the final recital as they should.”
What would Milica like the most is to get employed at the kindergarten where she completed her internship. Until then, she is happy when she meets children’s parents in Ravno selo, when they praise her and tell her how much children miss their Milica the educator.
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