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.

Help and support as integration mechanisms. Story of a Moroccan woman in Spain

Municipality of Huelva, Spain

Institutions involved
NGOs, Public Bodies, Other
Family networks
Initiative Typology
Work opportunities, Community participation (in migrant community associations), Language or/and culture courses
Problem addressed
The main problem in the integration process of the protagonist has been the ignorance of the language. By arriving in Spain without knowing Spanish and spending most of her time with people of Moroccan origin, she is hindering her language training process. In turn, since she is active at work, she has great difficulties in being able to attend language classes, being able to attend exclusively the seasons in which she does not work.
On the other hand, in the past she suffered gender violence in her marriage and the divorce proceedings have made her integration difficult.
Resilience strategies addressed by women
Among the main strategies, it is worth highlighting the establishment of clear objectives and goals that encourage you to develop actions to improve your situation as the time you stay in Spain passes. Likewise, the fact that she is helping her family, and especially her mother, is one of his main stimuli to feel better.
Description of the integration initiative implemented
The most important aspects that have favored its integration have been:
- The support network she had in the host society, specifically her mother who had been in Spain for a long time, as well as another person from her family unit.
- The performance of a professional activity that allows her to earn income and, therefore, to be able to help her family. In addition, the treatment received in the work environment has always been very appropriate, feeling comfortable and at ease in their professional development.
- The support received by different institutions and entities since her arrival in Spain, helping her to resolve all the problems that have occurred, including her divorce procedures with her husband.
- The connection of her with her culture and mother tongue allows her to feel more united to her country.
- The telematic relationship that she maintains with her family who is in Morocco.
Personal story
The protagonist, who is 27 years old, arrived in Spain for the first time in 2018, ten years after the arrival of her mother and sister. During that period she lived in Morocco with her aunt and grandmother, for this reason she considers her grandmother to be her second mother. She currently maintains a telephone relationship with them almost daily. Despite the close relationship she had with them, she decided to migrate from her because she missed her mother. During the trip to Spain she did not encounter great difficulties, she traveled by boat, and later by bus. Although she made the trip completely alone, as soon as she arrived in Huelva she was reunited with her mother, an aspect that has favored her integration into the host society at all times.
In addition to her mother, on her arrival she received help from different entities and institutions, for example, the Red Cross facilitated her access to a Spanish training program. According to the protagonist “here, in Spain, all the associations and sites support you, receive you, help you, explain…”. Although she is unaware of the specific functioning of public and social entities, she has always felt supported by the institutions when she has had any need.
The most difficult thing for her since arriving in Spain has been the gender-based violence suffered in her private context with her former partner. She is currently in the process of divorce.
From her point of view, in Spain women are respected, receive help and are treated appropriately. However, she believes that, in her country, Morocco, the interests and rights of women are not addressed. She believes that there is a significant difference in the role played by women in both countries.
Considering the personal growth of the protagonist, it is observed how a significant change has taken place since she arrived in Spain in 2018. The fact of being able to work and earn more money than she would get in her country makes her feel very good . In addition, she considers that working is very important since it allows you to meet other people, interact with them, earn money, help the family financially ... She herself thinks that her personality has changed a lot after her immigration process.
Currently, the protagonist aspires to achieve a higher level of Spanish, because she considers that to improve her situation and be able to interact with people, she needs to master the language. Once she succeeds, she would like to train to be a hairdresser and thus find a more stable job that allows her to work all year round. This objective is due to her concern to help her mother financially.
She feels very comfortable in Spain even though she does not have friendships, since she only interacts with people at work and those from the associations she attends. She thinks that, in Spain, unlike in Morocco, all people are the same, no matter their physical appearance, socio-economic level, the job they perform... These aspects favor their desire to stay and live in that country, since Although she aspires to be better, she currently feels very good and comfortable in Spain.
Analysis of the initiative and individual story
The main initiatives to improve integration have been:
RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS
- The orientation, training and help that they have received from social and public entities.
- The economic resources obtained through the work carried out in the field.
NETWORKS AND PARTICIPATION
- Family networks in the host society, specifically her mother and sister.
CULTURAL IDENTITY
- Maintaining their cultural guidelines and their mother tongue in the host society.
RESILIENCE STRATEGIES
- Their ability to set goals and objectives that allow them to improve and develop in the host society.
Results and Impact
The migratory process has meant a significant change in the protagonist. To begin with, she has managed to improve her economic conditions, and therefore family, favoring the development of the family nucleus. To continue, she has experienced a change on a personal level by feeling greater equality in the host society and by receiving help throughout the process. This has favored the empowerment of the protagonist. Finally, her stay in Spain has allowed her to have new aspirations that ensure an improvement in her quality of life.