She was born on February 20, 1997, in the village of Baltabay, located in the Jeti-Oguz district of the Issyk-Kul region.
She currently works in delivery, and previously opened an online store in Bishkek, where she sewed and sold women's scarves and headbands. Now she continues her business in the USA.
Madina graduated from the Kyrgyz Economic University named after Musa Ryskulbekov, specializing in accounting, auditing, and analysis. After finishing her studies, she worked in a private company for three years before going on maternity leave.
During her maternity leave, she became interested in the beauty industry and took numerous courses in various areas, including makeup, hairstyles, and manicure, earning several certificates.
While pregnant with her second daughter, Madina actively worked, going out on orders for eyelash extensions. She started her scarf-selling business just 10 days after giving birth, sometimes taking her baby along to deliver orders.
She and her husband always dreamed of moving to America. Before their wedding, he worked for a long time to obtain a visa. Madina also began preparing documents but ultimately chose family and love.
The couple applied for a green card for three consecutive years, and on the third try, her husband won. In 2022, when the results were announced, he was in Jalal-Abad, and she was in her hometown. They found out about the win when he called her to check the results. At that moment, her husband was planning to go to the UK for strawberry picking, but there were issues with his passport, which added to their worries. After verifying the documents through an agency, they received an invitation for an interview and successfully passed all checks.
On April 11, 2023, after many years of waiting, their dream came true, and they moved to America. This year marks three years since they have been living there,” she shares.
According to Madina, Philadelphia is suitable for new immigrants.
“Life here is easier than in other major cities, and housing rent is more affordable. There are many Ukrainians, Uzbeks, and Kyrgyz living here, but our community is not as large as in Chicago. People are open, smile, and greet even strangers. No one pays attention to your appearance or what you drive. The shopping malls are convenient—you can find everything from groceries to electronics. However, a car is necessary here, as the distances are large,” she explains.
Most houses in Pennsylvania, according to Madina, are built from wooden frames and drywall. “Every room has a smoke detector—even a little smoke triggers it,” she adds.
Upon arriving in America, it was not easy for them. To rent an apartment, they had to pay three months in advance. They bought groceries and paid for the car in installments, leaving only $20 in their pockets. Her husband did not find a job right away, but after three days, he got a job in construction. Once, they were unable to pay their rent on time; however, their landlord, an Indonesian woman, turned out to be kind and helped them by cleaning the house and earning money alongside Madina,” she says.
“In America, we had our third child, and he became a U.S. citizen. We are gradually settling in and making new acquaintances,” she adds.
In Philadelphia, there is a Kyrgyz community where they celebrate holidays such as Orozo Ait and Nooruz. In her free time, Madina engages in sports, takes care of her health, and raises her children.
The family's main goal is to achieve financial independence and buy a house in Kyrgyzstan. This year, they celebrated 8 years of marriage and are now raising three children,” Madina concluded.
