In search of a new beginning – the story of a Syrian woman in Bulgaria

Gada was born in Syria, where she completed her secondary education with very good results, and later planned to study to become a nurse. However, her plans were destroyed by the nightmare of the war.

We continue the series of stories about third-country nationals with the right to work in Bulgaria, who, contrary to understanding, are successfully integrated into the labor market in Bulgaria and contribute to the country’s economy.

Our series is part of the MIraGE project, on which WCIF is working with partners from several European countries. The project aims to ease the access and integration of third-country nationals who seek employment in the host countries of the European Union.

Gada Abdo is part of this project.

Gada was born in Syria, where she completed her secondary education with very good results, and later planned to study to become a nurse. However, her plans were destroyed by the nightmare of the war. She lost one brother, another disappeared without a trace, and her family was ruined by grief. After the tragedy, Gada decided to leave Syria with her mother. Bulgaria was a logical destination for them, as here she has two uncles, from whom she knows a lot about the country.

The meeting with dedicated and heartfelt representatives of a non-governmental organization that support refugees gives Gada the conviction that she will find good people here and will be able to settle down. So she finally decided to stay in Bulgaria. However, finding a job proved to be a challenge because of the language barrier.

She was hired by a pastry shop, but soon after the pandemic hit, she became unemployed again. Fortunately, she managed to find a new job in a plastic factory, where she still works. She shares that she finds understanding and great support from her new boss and her colleagues.

Gada plans to learn the language and settle here once and for all, because she finds similarities between the Bulgarian and Syrian people, and she feels sincere gratitude to the people she has met so far.