From a child with no access to education to an employee in an international company: the story of Ecaterina Topor, a young Roma woman
Ecaterina Topor is a young Roma woman whose journey demonstrates the transformative power of education and determination.
At the age of 9, Ecaterina had never attended school. However, she embraced the opportunity to learn and gradually built the knowledge and skills that would shape her future.
Over the years, she learned three languages: Romanian, Russian, and English and graduated from a vocational school in Bălți, obtaining a qualification as a cook. Education helped her gain confidence, develop professionally, and pursue new opportunities.
First step toward independence
After graduation, like many young people at the beginning of their path, Ecaterina needed guidance to find her first job. She was advised by a friend to approach the National Employment Agency (NEA), where she received counselling and support for professional integration.
“At first, I was scared, because I had never been to the Agency before. I imagined you had to sit there with documents in your hands and answer many questions. But they welcomed me with a smile and treated me very well”, recalls the young woman.
Tatiana Rusu, Head of the Employment Department in Rîșcani, remembers her first meeting with Ecaterina:
“She came to us in 2024. After we learned she had qualified as a cook, we suggested she take part in a professional internship. For two months, she gained practical experience, and later she was hired by the same employer.”
According to Raisa Dogaru, Director of the NEA, the institution provides young people with various services and active employment measures:
“We help young people get to know themselves better and identify the profession that suits them. Through career guidance services, we support them in choosing a field of activity and taking their first steps on the labour market. We offer opportunities to participate in internships, where they can gain practical experience and strengthen their confidence in their own abilities. We also help them prepare CVs, search for jobs, and provide the necessary information for successful labour market integration.”
The NEA support that built her confidence
Ecaterina completed her internship at the local restaurant “Paradis.” Although she had been involved in volunteer activities since childhood and had cooked for children in camps organised by her adoptive family, her first formal job brought many emotions.
“I became very close to the team. People treated me well, respected me, and accepted me”, she says.
According to Tatiana Rusu, the experience had a strong impact on her self-confidence:
“She didn’t believe she would be accepted or find a job. Recently, she visited us and told us about her colleagues, whom she affectionately called ‘my girls’. She was very well received.”
Her employer, Ala Rusu, owner of the restaurant “Paradis”, also confirms that Ecaterina stood out through her seriousness and willingness to work:
“We collaborate with the NEA, and they suggested we take Ecaterina as an intern. After the internship, we hired her. She worked well.”
However, the experience also revealed the prejudices that some Roma people still face.
“At some catering events, I heard comments from clients about her being Roma. But that didn’t matter to me. She proved to be a hardworking, calm, and responsible girl. For example, in France you see people of all ethnicities around you. I think we also need to start looking at life differently”, says Ala.
From an internship to an international company
After her internship and first professional experience, Ecaterina gained confidence and decided to try her skills in an international company. Today she works at the confectionery factory ‘Kinder’, where she is involved in assembling toys for ‘Kinder Surprise’ capsules.
“I didn’t even know there was an employment agency in Moldova. But after my first experience, I gained confidence and submitted my CV myself. Now I work in an international company, and I am proud of what I do”, says Ecaterina.
For the future, she has clear plans: she wants financial independence and her own home.
A message for other young people searching for their path
Ecaterina is convinced that education and work can change lives:
“To have something in life, you need to learn. To get a job, you need studies and documents. Education gives you opportunities and opens doors. You must move forward and not be afraid. It is important to have your own life plan and rely on yourself. Roma women can also have professions, work, and build their own future.”
Better opportunities for young people through the EU4Youth programme
Ecaterina Topor demonstrates how important it is for young people to have access to information, career guidance, and real employment opportunities. By strengthening the capacities of institutions working with youth, including local structures of the NEA, the EU4Youth programme indirectly contributes to better socio-economic integration opportunities for young Roma people. In this way, more young people like Ecaterina can turn the support they receive into a first step toward independence and a life built through their own efforts.
