Work that feels like home

For Sabina, work feels like more than just work. It is a place where she has people around her, where she feels welcome, and where she goes with pleasure every day. 

She now works through Timing at Royal Talens in Apeldoorn. And there, she feels at home. 

"It really feels like everyone here is my family. I don't have any other family living in the Netherlands, only my children. When I go to work, I just feel at home." 

But behind that warmth, positivity, and energy lies a story of resilience, perseverance, and starting anew.

From war to a new beginning

Sabina was born in Bosnia. When the war broke out, her life changed completely. What started as unrest grew into years of uncertainty, fear, and survival. 

"At first, you think the war will stop again. But it got worse every day. No electricity, no food, no water. You were just surviving instead of living." 

With her one-and-a-half-year-old daughter, she eventually decided to flee. In 1995, she came to the Netherlands. After a period in various asylum centers, she built a new life in Apeldoorn. 

A new country, a new language, and an uncertain future. Yet Sabina decided not to wait. 

"I turned on the radio, listened to Dutch programs, and practiced the language every day. While cooking, I made sentences in my head. That's how I taught myself Dutch." Sabina is still proud of that. 

Among the people 

For Sabina, one thing was clear from the start: she wanted to work. Not just for an income, but especially to be among people. 

"If you don't talk to people, you don't learn the language either. That's why I always wanted to work among people." 

Since 2005, she has worked almost continuously in production environments. Through Timing, she ended up with various employers. Currently, Sabina works at Royal Talens. 

When her assignment at Royal Talens temporarily stopped, she was forced to stay home for six months. That was tough for her. 

"I was one hundred percent sure I would find work again. But it turned out to be more difficult than I thought. Maybe my age played a role. When I was finally allowed to return to Talens, I was so incredibly happy." 

Work gives energy 

While many people look forward to their retirement, Sabina mainly looks forward to her next workday. 

"Work gives me energy. If I don't have work, I don't know what to do. I'm used to always working hard." 

Her enthusiasm sometimes goes so far that she wakes up on Saturday thinking she has to work. 

Laughing, she says: "Then my son says: mom, maybe I should bring your bed to Talens. Then you can sleep there and work in between." 

Sabina is known among colleagues for her cheerfulness, her humor, and her love for music. "I love music. Everyone on the floor knows me. Sometimes I sing a little, and then everyone joins in, and we end up dancing together." 

A workplace that feels like family 

That Sabina loves working at Royal Talens so much has everything to do with the colleagues. 

"When I came in here, it immediately felt good. It just clicked. Everyone was kind. I had that feeling right away." 

In the years that followed, that click grew into something much bigger. 

"When I'm here, I feel at home. I come to work with pleasure every day." 

She hopes she can continue working there until her retirement.

Enjoying today

The war, the loss of loved ones, and the challenges she encountered along the way have taught her one important lesson: don't postpone life. 

"Take what you can every day. Don't save it for tomorrow. If you want to do something, do it today." 

For Sabina, happiness is not in big things. It's in a day without worries, a pleasant workday, a dinner with her children, or a laugh with colleagues on the work floor. 

"The older you get, the more you realize how important it is to live. Really live. Enjoy the people around you, your work, the little things." 

Sabina does that every day anew. With a smile, a song on the work floor, and above all, a lot of gratitude for what is today. 

Because if her life has taught her anything, it's that happiness often lies in the little things. In work that gives energy. In people around you. And in a place where you feel at home.