in Strasbourg, Ukrainian refugees find work thanks to an association

In the premises of the Altaïr association in Strasbourg, there are about twenty Ukrainian women – and only one man -, all of whom arrived in France after fleeing the war in Ukraine. They are looking for work, which temporary refugee status allows them to do. Very quickly, they were divided into three workshops: maintenance of green spaces, market gardening and sewing, the most requested workshop. “We systematically pass tests to get a little idea of ​​the level they can have and the positions in which we will be able to position them”says Géraldine, the workshop manager.

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Very quickly, the first sewing machine was tamed by Marianna who “has done this his whole life” : she was a seamstress in Ukraine. “Working is already an exchange between people, so I can also learn the languagesays the young woman. As I am an active person, I absolutely need to work.”

On the next machine, Svetlana is in pain. “She doesn’t really know how to operate the machineconfides the translator, so she’s a little nervous. She wanted to stop but no: we tell her it’s good!

This woman, in her 60s, had fled Donetsk in 2014 during the first Russian invasion. The 60-year-old left Kyiv again a month ago. But, in the end, after application, she arrived at the end of her test. “It’s perfect, she even managed to do itrejoices Géraldine, the workshop manager. Her little paper, she did it directly on the piece of fabric so it’s great.” These women “will have a contract and we welcome them with pleasure. They will be accompanied, take French lessons, throughout the period they will be there.”

Finally, seven new seamstresses are hired 35 hours a week, paid at minimum wage. Among them, Olga, who until then had a completely different job. “She worked as a professor of architecture at the university”says the translator. “We have no choice, we only take what there is”, answers Olga. In Kharkiv, the university was destroyed by bombs but Olga’s house is still standing. Despite this, she sees her future in France.

“If Russia takes Karkhiv, never in my life will I come back to live with the Russians.”

The seven seamstresses and the four other Ukrainian women hired to maintain the green spaces will start work from April 18.