Moldovan companies are ready to offer jobs to refugees from Ukraine. They are invited to companies where they are presented with job opportunities and information on starting a business.
Thus 18 refugees from Ukraine were able to visit the “BM” Group in Băcioi, a company specialising in the production of lighting fixtures, printing products and wooden bags. The managers of the company showed the refugees the production process, told them about the company’s experience and how to run and develop a business.
The refugees say that the experience of the Moldovan entrepreneurs will be useful to them. Some of them are already thinking of opening businesses in Moldova. That’s the story of Tatiana from the town of Nicolaev, Ukraine. The woman, along with her daughter and husband, has been in Moldova since March 2022. Tatiana says the family has managed to integrate into society. Her husband works. Her daughter will go to school in Moldova in the autumn and she is thinking of opening a business.
Tatiana, town of Nicolaev, Ukraine “I want to open a business. I want to integrate here in Chisinau. Or to work at a company. But it would be ideal to realize my dream and open a company. Maybe here I can get some experience in this field. Of course I want to go back to Ukraine and realize my dream. But I want to gain experience here.”
And for Eugenia from Kharkov, Ukraine these visits to companies are of great use, she says. Eugenia, her five daughters and husband live in a suburb of Chisinau in a house they rent. In Ukraine, she and her husband ran a coffee machine business. But the war thwarted their plans. The woman says she’s thinking about a future here in Moldova, which is why the experience of local entrepreneurs is so important.
Eugenia Harkov, Ukraine “It was very interesting for me. They awakened my inspiration. I’m already thinking of new ideas, to take steps in doing something here, why not.”
The visits of refugees from Ukraine to Moldovan enterprises are organised within the project “Empowering crisis-affected women for a richer and more stable society”, implemented by the National Youth Council of Moldova (CNTM) in partnership with the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Moldova (AFAM), with the support of UN Women, and funded by the Women’s Fund for Peace and Humanitarian Assistance.
“As representatives of the Moldovan business environment we want to contribute to the integration of refugee women from Ukraine into the labour market and society”, said entrepreneur Maria Bumbu, co-owner of the company “BM” Group. “Through these visits that these ladies make to Moldovan companies, their needs are identified, for which we in turn can come up with solutions. Whether it is employment, mentoring or apprenticeship at the workplace. The important thing is to find a solution for the needs of each of them”, said Maria Bumbu, who is also a member of the AFAM Board of Directors.
AFAM Board Chairwoman Carolina Bugaian told the event that the integration of refugee women into society and their economic empowerment means financial independence for themselves, but also a contribution to the development of the host country’s economy. AFAM will continue to organise visits of refugees to businesses in the country to familiarise them with employment opportunities and share good practices in the field of professional and entrepreneurial development, Carolina Bugaian added.
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