My challenge
- Country of origin of the narrator: POLAND
- Age of the narrator: 57
- Family situation of the narrator: married with two daughters
- Level of education of the narrator: secondary
My name is Ewa Grad and I am a person with disabilities. I work in a catering company in a small town near Rzeszów. In 2004, I got breast cancer. Diagnosis was like a sentence. I underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy and breast removal and fought until the end. Unfortunately, isolation and lack of work were a heavy burden for me and my family. I have a husband and two daughters who then went to elementary school.
My main challenges
• Serious illness which made me a woman with disabilities
• Small kids
• Several years of unemployment
• Living on rural areas with low work possibilities.
My path
Finally, I have found work in the Vocational Activity Workshop (VAW), where I have learned a lot and finished several professional courses, such as waiter, catering, and customer service courses. In VAW I met other women with disabilities with whom I became friends. Currently, with a group of women – also with disabilities – we have open up our own company and run 4 catering bars in schools and hospitals.
My success
When it comes to running entrepreneurship, it requires a lot of responsibility, concentration and big commitment. In Poland, this is probably the only way for a disabled woman to be able to pursue her professional career and be independent at the same time. You should not give up, follow your dreams and fight for your plan till the end.