NEW FACES OF SLOVENIA
Read Seda’s story.
Who am I?
I am Seda Şirin, a 33-year-old Turkish teacher from Turkey. I graduated from Mevlana University in the city of Konya, where I studied teaching Turkish. Due to political changes in Turkey, many educated individuals, including myself, were declared to be dangerous. I was forced to leave my homeland.
Coming to Slovenia
When I arrived in Slovenia, I had to face numerous challenges. Although I am a teacher, I could not practice my profession. Excellent Slovenian was required everywhere – even for the work of a cleaner or cashier. Additionally, due to my appearance – because I wear a headscarf – I often faced discrimination. Most companies do not hire covered women. Sometimes people cannot believe that I am a teacher. In their eyes, I am ‘inferior’ because of my faith and clothing.
A different path to success
Because my husband also faced challenges with employment, we wanted to create something new together. At first, we prepared Turkish dishes only for friends, and then we opened the restaurant ‘Our Kitchen’ (Naša kuhinja) together with two other partners. For me, this is one of the greatest achievements in Slovenia – proof that even migrant women, despite all obstacles, can contribute to the community.
Numerous systemic challenges
And the experience that marked me the most was as a mother. My daughters often faced unfair and inhumane treatment in kindergarten and healthcare facilities. My older daughter was discriminated against in kindergarten because of our religious dietary habits – for example, we do not consume pork.
I have repeatedly asked the kindergarten if I could bring her food from home, but this was not allowed. On days with a meat menu, she was often hungry, consequently less focused and tired. Because of this, some teachers thought she did not understand the material or was not following the lessons. At one point, they even suggested that she had an autistic disorder – without any professional basis or appropriate diagnosis.
When we changed kindergartens, the situation really improved significantly – the teachers and staff of the new kindergarten showed much more understanding and empathy. My daughter was finally accepted as she is – with all her habits, needs, and childlike energy.
In the healthcare system, I encountered humiliation – as a woman who does not speak Slovenian fluently and wears a headscarf. Healthcare workers often treated us with contempt. One of the hardest experiences was when the dentist physically removed my daughter from the office because she was scared and did not want to open her mouth.
Despite everything, I believe that we can create a community where we will be understood and accepted – even if we do not speak perfect Slovenian or wear different clothes.
Challenges and solutions for better integration of newcomers to Slovenia,
according to Seda:
- Language: Full knowledge of Slovenian is often expected even for basic jobs.
Solution: More free language courses and programs for recognizing foreign qualifications. - Discrimination based on religion and appearance: A headdress is often an obstacle to employment. Solution: Awareness campaigns, equal treatment in hiring.
- Inclusive educational and health environment: Some institutions do not understand the different needs of children and often encounter prejudices or unfair treatment.
Solution: Training for educators and medical staff to work with migrant families, particularly understanding the different cultural or religious backgrounds, which is essential for acceptance. - Professional fulfillment: Despite education and experience, job opportunities are very limited.
Solution: Support for entrepreneurship among migrants, greater inclusion of highly educated foreigners.
Let’s fight the stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination. Every individual deserves the opportunity to participate in society on an equal footing. Let’s stand together for a more inclusive and equitable future.
“The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the EACEA can be held responsible for them.”
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕 “𝑩𝑶𝑫𝑬/𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒛 𝑶𝒗𝒊𝒓 𝑫𝒐 𝑬𝒏𝒂𝒌𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒊” 𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭𝟒𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝒊𝒏 𝑺𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒂 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑵𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 – 𝒕𝒐 𝑱𝒖𝒏𝒆 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓.
You can read more about the BODE+ project HERE.
In cooperation with ADRA, the project is also on this page.
