She was born on February 20, 1997, in the village of Baltabay in the Jeti-Oguz district of the Issyk-Kul region.
“Currently, I work in the delivery sector. Previously, I opened an online store in Bishkek, where I sold women's shawls and headbands that I made myself. I continue to sell them here as well,” she shares.
Madina received her education at the Kyrgyz Economic University named after Musa Ryskulbekov, where she studied accounting, auditing, and analysis. After completing her studies, she worked for three years in a private company before going on maternity leave.
During that time, she also became interested in the beauty industry, taking numerous courses, including makeup, hairstyles, color theory, eyelash extensions, and manicure, and received several certificates.
While pregnant with her second daughter, she actively worked, going out on orders for eyelash extensions. Just 10 days after the birth of her baby, Madina launched her shawl-selling business, sometimes taking her newborn with her on deliveries.
She and her husband had long dreamed of moving to the USA. Before their wedding, he worked hard to obtain a visa. Madina was also preparing documents, but upon meeting him, she chose love. They applied for a green card three times, and only on the third attempt did her husband win. In 2022, when the results were announced, he was in Jalal-Abad, and she was in the village. Her husband was supposed to go to the UK to pick strawberries, but there were problems with his passport. After their documents were checked through an agency, they received an invitation for an interview, which they successfully passed.
On April 11, 2023, after long waits, their dream came true, and they moved to America. “This year marks three years since we’ve been here,” she adds.
According to Madina, Philadelphia is suitable for new immigrants.
“Life here is easier than in other major cities, and housing rent is relatively affordable. There are many Ukrainians, Uzbeks, and Kyrgyz in our area, but our community is not as large as in Chicago,” she says.
“People here are open, always smiling and greeting, even if they don’t know each other. No one interferes in your personal life: how you dress or what car you drive doesn’t concern anyone. The local shopping centers are very convenient—you can buy everything from groceries to clothes and electronics. However, you can’t get by without a car here, as the distances are large,” she adds.
Madina notes that most houses are built from wooden frames and drywall: “Every room has a smoke detector that goes off at the slightest hint of smoke.”
She recalls that the first weeks in America were not easy. To rent an apartment, they had to pay three months in advance. “We bought groceries, paid for the car in installments, and had only $20 left in our pocket. My husband didn’t find a job right away, but after three days he got a job in construction. Once, we couldn’t pay for the apartment on time, but our landlord, who came from Indonesia, turned out to be very kind. She helped me, and we cleaned the house and worked together,” she remembers.
“Here we had our third child, who became a U.S. citizen. We are gradually adapting to the new environment and getting to know people,” she adds.
In Philadelphia, there is a Kyrgyz community with which they celebrate holidays such as Orozo Ait and Nowruz. In her free time, Madina goes to the gym, takes care of her health, and looks after her children.
“Our main goal is to achieve financial independence and buy a house in Kyrgyzstan. This year we celebrate 8 years since our wedding. Now we have three children,” Madina concludes.
