Florina`s Journey
Have you ever wondered, what is the story behind the women that you see begging on the street? Many migrants are pushed out of their home countries with the pull of a better life in another. But sometimes it is not as simple as it may seem.
Today, we share the story of Florina:
Florina, the daughter of a cleaning woman and a street musician, grew up in the outskirts of Bukharest, Romania. She went through primary school but could not continue her education as she had to help her parents generate additional income. She found sporadic jobs such as cleaning houses and toilets in public places, but it was not enough to make a living and support her family.
Music has always been her passion, and being influenced by her father, she managed to get a job in a downtown bar in Bukharest as a singer in the hope of making more money to support her family. There she met Theodor, who she end up falling in love with. He promised that he would find her a job in Spain through some friends, and he would join her as soon as she was stable. After a lot of persuasion Florina, because she didn’t want to leave her family, she accepted and met with Theodor’s friends and five other girls at the airport.
Once she arrived in Madrid they requested her passport to formalise the job permits. They then took her and the other girls to a club where against their will forced them to become prostitutes. She did not dare to leave the club, as she was unaware of her rights of living in Spain, despite being European citizen, and was often told that she would be expelled from the country.
After a few months, she discovered that she was pregnant and decided against the odds to take the risk and fled from the club overnight. She was on the streets for a few weeks when some people came up to her and told her about an NGO that helped women that had been sexually exploited.
Today, Florina and her baby are living in a women’s house in Madrid, where she is teaching music to immigrant children.
Unfortunately, Florina’s story is one, of many, who are tricked and forced into a life they wouldn’t choose for themselves. Florina is an example of being influenced by the push- and pull factors which influence why people migrate from their home countries. The reason why we have shared hers with you today, is to encourage you to take a step further and to think of the story behind the people.
Florina is victim of circumstance but at the same time she is not defined by this experience.
Written by the L.A.N.A.
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04 Jun 2015
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nkloss
IMSD /
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