Name Surname: Ewa Grad

Country: Poland

City: Łańcut

Nationally: Polish

Background: Secondary

Sector: Services

Position: Manager in catering company

My name is Ewa Grad and I am a disabled person. I work in a women's company where I am a manager. It is a trade and service company. 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 lower secondary school.

Ewa Grad is a woman with disabilities. She works for a female company in which she is a manager. It is a trade and service company. Together with other women with disabilities, they coordinate and manage four catering points. In 2004 she got breast cancer. The diagnosis was like a sentence to her, but she did not give up. She started work in the Vocational Activity Workshop, where she learned a lot and went through a number of courses, such as waiters, catering, and customer service courses. She met women with various illnesses with whom she became friends. Currently, with a group of women - also disabled - they set up their own company and run 4 catering points.

After a few years, the situation in the company began to change, so with a group of women - including the disabled - we decided to start our own company. It is a trade and service company. As I said at the beginning, we run 4 small shops, in which establishment we put a lot of work and heart to make it nice and aesthetic, and above all that we are independent. This work gives us a lot of satisfaction, a lot of peace and that we are self-sufficient. I am happy to work with my friends because we are very close, we understand each other very well, we replace each other and, above all, we are independent.

Near my place of residence is the Vocational Activity Workshop, where people with disabilities work. I took a job there. The working day was for 5 hours. It is a catering company. I have learned a lot in this workshop, I have completed a number of courses, such as waiter, catering, customer service, HACCAP. I met women with various illnesses with whom I made friends.

I am a very well organized person, I easily make contacts with others, I am open to various proposals.

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.