Sherimane Hajzari

My name is Sherimane Hajzari. I was born in Mitrovica, Kosovo. I am 30 years old. Currently I live in Roma Mahalla in the southern part of Mitrovica.

In 1989, as three-month-old baby, my family and I migrated to Germany. When we first arrived to Germany, my father had to sign a document at Yugoslav Embassy, by which we were obliged to return to Kosovo as soon as the political situation became stable. I have spent twenty years in Germany, but I do not remember the name of the town we lived in. I went to school there until grade 9, but then I left. I had a lot of friends there, some of whom I am still in touch with. The memory of my school days, the drama club I attended, and my role in the performance of „Romeo and Juliet”, brings a smile to my face. I miss the life I had in Germany – everything was so nice there. After I finished primary school, I attended a hairdressing course and then did some apprenticeship. Officially, I have never worked; I was just doing haircuts for my cousins and friends. When I turned 20, the migration services informed us that the situation in Kosovo has improved and that we needed to leave Germany.

It is with great sadness that I remember my first days in Roma Mahalla. The process of adaptation was extremely difficult because I was not accepted by my fellow citizens. After only a year I had met a boy who became my partner. We lived in a common-law marriage and I gave birth to four children. After the birth of our first child, my partner and I started quarrelling so often. During that period, I was a victim of both physical and psychological violence. Unfortunately I was forced to endure it and reconcile with my partner. In the course of next four years, I gave birth to three more children.

In 2017 my partner left us and moved to France. I have become a single mother of four children. He even did not want to accept paternity of any of the children, so there are no legal grounds to require child support payments from him. My life in Mitrovica is so difficult. Society does not accept me yet. My children and I only speak Romani so we have difficulties in the process of integration and socialization. I would define my current position as: isolated within an isolated community. I say isolated community because we are isolated from both North (with Serbian majority) and South (with Albanian majority) Mitrovica.

The three of my children and I have all the necessary identification documents. Unfortunately, my second son, who is 5-years old, was born at home and his birth was never registered. NGO Caritas Kosova successfully solved the problem of his vaccination, since he did not receive BSG vaccine. They also work on establishing elementary rights entitled to us as members of vulnerable and marginalized group. My oldest child E. Hajzari enrolled in Primary school “Vlado Ćetković”, located in North Mitrovica. Unfortunately she is not regular there because she faces certain problems. On her way to school other children tease her because she only speaks Romani and for her physical appearance. A psychologist from NGO Caritas Kosova gives her support in learning and better social integration.

I regret that I had to move from Germany to Kosovo and I would like to have my old life back. I see myself working as a hairdresser, raising good and honest children, and us having a decent life in Germany.