Vjosa Osmani

Long ago, in the city of Mitrovica, there was a girl who loved books even more than toys. This girl was Vjosa, and even as a child she carried stacks of books everywhere! She had big dreams of becoming president, but no woman had ever been president before in Kosovo. The other children laughed at her, but she just smiled and turned another page of her book.

As Vjosa grew up, Kosovo went through some difficult times, and she saw how war hurt families. Her parents taught her that education was the strongest tool to have, and that kindness and teamwork was the best way to get past the bad times.

After the hard times in Kosovo, she studied like a warrior. Eventually she moved to America to go to university and learn important things she planned to use as president. When she was in America, she was not just a student, also teaching others about justice. 

Then, in 2021, she became Kosovo’s second female president! On her first ever day she brought in the books she read when she was a child, because they were the books that taught her to dream big. As president she has battled bad people, told the world Kosovo’s story, visited children in hospital and school, and even created better education.

One winter, when Kosovo faced energy problems, President Osmani rolled up her sleeves and helped distribute firewood to elderly citizens herself. "Leaders don't just make policies," she said, "they share their people's troubles."

Today, President Osmani continues to break barriers. Little girls in Kosovo now play "president" the way others play "teacher" or "doctor." When asked about this, she smiles: "The best part of my job isn't being president - it's seeing girls realize they can be anything. Even president!"

By Isaac Otter