The Roma Women Leading a Movement for Change

Jessica and Mishka, two resilient Roma women, are leading the charge for Convoy of Hope’s Women’s Empowerment program in Slovakia. With their education, these women have the means to move away and live somewhere else, but they have chosen to stay in their community and invest in the lives of other Roma women and girls. Their commitment is reshaping the future of young Roma women, offering them opportunities they once deemed out of reach.
The Roma in Slovakia endure systemic discrimination in employment, education, and housing. Many live in slum-like conditions — a stark contrast to the beautiful Romanesque and Gothic architecture in other parts of Slovakia.
The Roma community faces profound disparities compared to the rest of the population. A typical Roma girl only receives a few years of early education, often leaving school around the third grade. Many young Roma girls experience teenage pregnancies and early marriage, further limiting their opportunities.

Jessica and Mishka are proof that an alternative path is possible. Both women pursued education, delayed marriage until adulthood, and built families with husbands who recognize their value and support their dreams. Now, at 26 and 28, Jessica and Mishka are role models for the next generation in their community, showing Roma girls that they can dream for more than what society has traditionally dictated.
Through programs like Mothers Clubs and Girls’ Empowerment, Jessica and Mishka are providing crucial resources to women and girls in their community. When Shonna Crawford, Convoy of Hope’s Vice President of Convoy:Women, visited the program center last fall, she taught the young mothers in the Mothers Club how to engage in educational play with their children, using toys that the mothers then got to take home to their kids. This is just one of the many ways Jessica, Mishka, and Convoy of Hope are working to break cycles of poverty in the Roma communities across Europe.
Jessica and Mishka are steadfast in the face of challenges. As daughters of pastors, with family in five different Roma communities, they have established deep roots and are working hard to uplift their people. It’s not just about providing resources, but transforming mindsets and proving to young Roma girls that they have the right to dream — and the ability to achieve their dreams.