The VIW project (2020-1-ES01-KA203-082364) project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This web site reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

From a dark city to a city of smiles!

Bragança, Portugal

Institutions involved
Informal Communities, Educational institutions
Initiative Typology
Financial support, Work opportunities, Community participation (in migrant community associations), Other
Family
Problem addressed
The decision to come to Portugal relates to the living conditions of Ukraine that, at the time, were not good and the fact that the parents had already come to Portugal and resided and worked there.
Resilience strategies addressed by women
Her personal characteristics and the fact of having all the bureaucratic problems solved when she arrived, led to a good integration. The biggest difficulty was the language, which she resolved attending a Portuguese course for foreigners and doing the 12th year of the Secondary School.
The difficulty of adapting the eldest daughter, first to kindergarten and then to school, impelled her to find the best strategies for her to have a successful integration.
Description of the integration initiative implemented
When she arrived, she had a very bad impression of the city, it seemed dark and small to her. As she did not speak Portuguese, she was referred by her mother to the Portuguese courses for foreigners who are given in one of the city's schools. The Teacher responsible for the course, contributed to her integration, giving her all the support, both educationally and personally. As she found a job easily and as she was welcomed in this job and in the city, she did not find difficulties. Initially, the husband, who came after six months, could take care of his two-year-old daughter, so she did not find it difficult with working hours. She found it difficult to find a kindergarten where her daughter would adapt, but after a while she found one that supports the family and her daughter.
Personal story
Young Ukrainian woman came to Portugal at the age of 18, specifically to a small town in the interior of the country, where she has been residing for 10 years. When she came, she was already married to a Ukrainian and had a two-year-old daughter. It was the appeal of her parents, who were already migrants in Portugal, that made her come. Her father had been in Portugal for 10 years and her mother for five years which made it easier for her to come. Because of that it was easy for her to have the legal documentation. Initially, she came alone with her daughter, her husband stayed in Ukraine, and only six months later they managed to get him to come in a legal situation to Portugal. Six months later, with de influence of another Ukrainian woman, she found a job at a restaurant where she worked for five years.
She considers that this job had good things, such as discounts and salary, on the other hand in terms of time, for a mother, it was not very good because the days off and the schedule made it difficult to be with her daughter the time she needed. Initially it was difficult to find a kindergarten where her daughter had good integration, due to the difficulties of the language and some misunderstanding of the adults of the institution. Then she finds another institution that facilitates the integration of her daughter. She confesses that she had negative stereotypes, regarding the kindergarten teacher being a male, but managed to overcome this image with the pedagogical action and integration that he developed with her daughter, which caused her a very good impression and lead her to enroll her youngest daughter in the same institution. She again found it difficult to integrate her daughter into primary school, which forced her to leave work to support her daughter at home. In this process, she adopts a non-conflict stance, transferring her daughter from that school, but without having communicated the difficulties she was feeling to the Teacher or the School Principal, since she feared reprisals about her daughter. Later, she tries to find another job, where she had schedules more compatible with the support she intended to give her daughter.
She started working in a hotel restaurant, but as she got pregnant the schedule was a little incompatible with her needs. A good level of understanding with the boss, allowed her to change to the Hotel tasks. She feels that there is a great cultural difference between her country and Portugal. She thinks women are more open in Portugal and the Uranian mem more conservative. She explains that some men in her country exercise greater control over wives. Right now, she feels as she is a Portuguese-Ukrainian.
She considers Ukraine the place of her affections, but she loves being in Portugal because it is a secure and quiet city and because people are sympathetic and available to help. As a way to ensure the connection with hers origin culture, she continues to speak Ukrainian at home so that her daughters learn, maintain calendar traditions and the connection with their closest relatives in Ukraine, with whom she speaks regularly.
Analysis of the initiative and individual story
The story of the young immigrant is a story of successful integration. The choice of the country is associated with existing ties. The parents were already migrants, which facilitated the whole process. Coming to a country with all the legal issues resolved facilitated her integration process. In addition to the family, it was the support of a person that most contributed to their socialization.
Her personal characteristics of a woman with capacity for action were enhancers of this socialization in the country of destination.
The idea of family and family well-being are present in all her journey and are the focus of her discourse. It is evident that as the whole family is in the same place and with good working and financial conditions the socio-affective dimension is guaranteed.
It is stated that educational institutions are not prepared to welcome children from other countries, and there is difficulty in developing strategies that protect children who do not have the mastery of the language of the host country. This difficulty imposed herself to find resilience strategies, looking for other educational solutions for her daughter. She feels that the host town does not discriminate against her, showing only an episode of discomfort, but that she has managed to overcome by showing her indignation at the statements addressed to her.
The affective dimension of connection with the place where she lives is assumed as a reason for the success of its integration. It is the characteristics of the city and the people who inhabit it that makes her think that this will be the city where she wants to live her life with her family. She feels that it is a safe and quiet place which provides great well-being.
The cultural intersection between the country of origin and the host country is a strategy that allows her to successfully respond to the affective needs and the needs for adaptation.

Results and Impact
The migratory trajectory of this woman is associated with the appeal of her family, immigrants in the country of destination. Her success results from her effort to integrate into the social sphere, finding a mechanism that allowed her to guarantee financial independence and social well-being. She uses her personal characteristics to succeed in the jobs she's been through.
Her action and integration have a positive impact on the coming of her sister who already has a stable economic and social life.
Looking for a better life for her daughters, for them to be successful in school, is the reason why she have found the best strategies for their integration.