From Congo to Greece
Athens, Greece
Institutions involved
NGOs
Problem addressed
Adaptation to Greek society
Resilience strategies addressed by women
Interviewee 1 (Congo, 29) researched before her journey about the appropriate academic institution. She also read about the history of Greece. She arrived in 2012 and was aware that the country was in recession and that she would face problems, that working will be not that as easy as in France, Belgium or Germany. It took her a month to prepare herself and receive the student visa. It took her eight hours from Congo to Belgium and then to Athens. She was stopped at Brussels’s airport. She was asked by the authorities why was she going to Greece and does not stay in Belgium. Although she was young, she explained that she got admission in Greece, not in Belgium. Later, they asked her to speak in Greek but clarified that she would start learning Greek upon her arrival. She did not see herself as a black young woman but as a young woman studying at the university. However, she described herself as close-minded and her first years were difficult. It was difficult for her to socialize as she considered people around her that would mind about her skin color, origin, ethnicity and community. She had to struggle to tell herself that she was there for studies and ignore such attitudes. Raise herself up and continue her journey, open her mind, embrace people talk with others, and remain calm. Despite cases of discrimination and also racism. She experienced such cases, with a district characteristic her efforts to open a bank account in a specific branch where the employee denied multiple times to assist her, saying: “You cannot open [a bank account] because you know we faced problems”. She understood that the problem was her racial background.
Description of the integration initiative implemented
Interviewee 1 (Congo, 29) came to Greece from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2012 to study Computer Science in a Greek University via a student visa. After a year she changed institution and continued her four-year studies in the same field at a private Higher Education Institute. Currently, she is carrying out her Master’s Degree in Business Administration in a private Higher Education Institute. In June 2020, she began her collaboration as a professional interpreter for a Service Provider in migrant/refugee accommodation centers in Athens and Samos's island. Between 2019 and 2020, she created her own blog and brand of clothes that she designs and sewed along with an e-Shop and works as an entrepreneur. The interviewee was mostly based on family connections to implement her initiatives. She mentioned that her older sister was there waiting to pick her up at her arrival at the airport. The interviewee is a member of the Congolese Community of Greece who helped her at and the opening day of her clothing brand by providing her the offices of the association for the event. The interviewee explained that she was supported from her family (parents and siblings). Since her arrival in Greece, she was staying with her older sister. Her sister invited her to apply for a professional interpreter position for a Service Provider in migrant/refugee accommodation centers where she also works.
Personal story
The interviewee described her family as belonging to the middle class. She lived a normal family life as her father was the director of a company that focused on environmental protection. The parents provided support regarding education. The interviewee emphasized that the motivations behind her choice were her will to study in Europe, to get other experience than being in Congo. She wanted to go to Europe and study Computer Science. Her goal was to contribute back to her community in Congo once she returned by teaching others how to use computers. Her feeling of inquisitiveness and will for progress motivated. Interviewee 1 (Congo, 29) since June 2020 works as a professional interpreter for a Service Provider in migrant/refugee accommodation centers in Athens and on the island of Samos. She works for eight hours a day for five days a week, under a renewable two-month contract, mostly in Samos. She helps with the interpretation from Lingala, English and French. Her salary ranges around €850. She completed her BA degree in 2019 and in June 2020 created her own clothing designs brand and began an entrepreneurial activity, based on her passion. She set up and an online store (e-shop). When she has inspiration, she is trying to draw the concept with a pencil and then she uses an application on her tablet. She buys the materials and sews the clothes for women, men and children. She can also create a bag and make something special on it, she puts it for sale on her online shop and she also takes custom orders, for example to make something inspired by Africa. The interviewee was motivated by the desire to make her parents proud since she came to Greece to study, and especially her father. As soon as she finished her studies and received her degree, she created her own blog and her online shop. Interviewee 1 (Congo, 29) mentioned that she had retained various ideas from Greece's culture and some inspirations could be brought into her designs. She wants to mix European culture with African. She also appreciates the food and music and has chosen some artists. She considers herself as open-minded and enjoys that she encounters a new culture and, discovers new things. Regarding the cultural past of Congo, she remembered some fairy tales, as when one is another country tends to forget certain elements. However, she cannot forget Lingala. One thing she has adopted from Greece is that people are used to go out. She thinks that she is in between two cultures. Although she is a Congolese she wants to discover more about Greece, to know more, meet people every day and learn about them and share stories with them. She believes that her children would not have the same experience with her. However, she would teach them her origins. Her network of friends includes contacts from Congo, Greece and other countries. The main aims of the interviewee included stability regarding her situation with legal documents, not to have to renew them every two-three years, to improve her Greek, to create her designs and company about sewing African cloths and mixing them with European cloths to bring something new in terms of fashion, designing and sewing, and also to finish her Master’s degree. Also, she would like to organize a launch event about her clothing line and ideas. She feels optimistic and empowered. She sees herself in the future in Greece (or in Congo) with an already established company where she will be teaching other people clothes designing. She would like to create a school of designing, sewing and cutting and teach young girls whose parents do not have the resources to send them to schools. She would like to help the orphanages and those in Congo alone by teaching them how to sew and design. She believes that it is possible to achieve those dreams and goals. Limitations could include financial constraints, but if others have the same vision, they could reach their goals.
Interviewee 1 (Congo, 29) emphasized that the migration process greatly and positively impacted her. Via this choice and support she was enabled to study and work in a foreign country. She realized her dream to create her own entrepreneurial initiative although she did know the language well or did not have a smooth interaction with the social entities. The interviewee (Interviewee 1, Congo, 29) feels that she has now more resources and greater capacity to face difficulties. Interviewee 1 (Congo, 29) feels she became more responsible and improved as she was away from her country. As mentioned, she had never been outside her city and country before. She emphasized that the situations she had been through had changed her. She has more responsibilities, contributes to the apartment and everyday needs, pays the fees for her Master's Degree alone, and is taking initiatives that she could not take in the past, comprising a crucial change in her role. Interviewee 1 (Congo, 29) was mostly based in family resources. Once she was able to support herself used her own resources.
Analysis of the initiative and individual story
The developments of the interviewee’s choices and could encourage and provide adequate support to immigrant/refugee women, to maximize their potential, and ultimately help them to enter the labor market successfully. Such cases could strengthen and develop the immigrant woman's sense of self-confidence, enhancing her professional and personal skills. They could act as a practical example to facilitate immigrant and refugee women's integration into the labor market and society.
Results and Impact
Regarding the qualitative impact: Such initiatives should be considered due to their motivation, driving forces and emphasis on gender-based differences. The initiative of the Interviewee 1 (Congo, 29) could act as motivation towards independence of immigrant women outside the traditional feminine occupations. In addition, in light of the above, the promotion of labor market integration will initially be oriented towards the recording, recognition and evaluation of skills, the facilitation of access to the labor market, and entrepreneurship promotion. Regarding the quantitative impact: Such initiatives could facilitate and inform immigrant women with the aim of developing micro-entrepreneurship (start-up companies) through legislation: a) on the issues of entry and residence (visa and residence permit), b) simplification of the process of setting up small businesses and (c) possibility of gross financing by banks and government grants (legislation). By increasing the awareness of the positive role that immigrant women can play, in their capacity as entrepreneurs, it can contribute to economic growth for the economy of the reception country. Successful encounters can enable and be transformative to participants and programmes. Such cases can be extended to the field of micro-entrepreneurship both during the creation of new businesses (start-up) and during its development by providing know-how, consulting voluntarily and co-financing for innovative projects with added value. The development of micro-entrepreneurship can provide a way out - as for the natives - of unemployment and the social exclusion of vulnerable immigrant women.
