


Why?
Refugee women experience higher rates of unemployment than others. This high rate of unemployment and the underemployment and low pay of the minority who are working has negative consequences not only for the individual but also for society as a whole. For the individual low levels of economic participation and under-employment can result in de-skilling and can erode self-esteem. For society low levels of employment and low pay impact on economic growth and result in wider social exclusion. A recent report by the government has noted the economic and social costs of high rates of unemployment and under-employment among ethnic minorities as a whole.
Training is known to be an important route through which unemployed people gain access to the labor market. However, the take-up of training among refugees is not enough. Therefore, we would like to offer refugee women both - training and opportunity for the first employment
What for?
To contribute to the formation of a more healthy and inclusive society by engaging refugee women in training and economic activity.
We believe that for every newcomer in the Netherlands it is crucial to learn the language, get introduced to the social norms of everyday behavior, make social contacts, build a social life and create the bridges of mutual respect and recognition with locals which is achievable via economic activity because it develops a sense of shared ownership.
Often newcomers, specifically refugees, are blamed for consuming services and benefits yerned by local people, that were/are paying taxes. Therefore we want to create circumstances enabling refugee women getting skills and jobs and paying taxes, which will contribute significantly to their integration process into the new society.
By whom?
The idea of establishing PARTicipate belongs to two women of migrant background driven to bring a positive change and break the social and economic isolation of fellow migrant women’s from around the world trying to integrate in the Netherlands.
Please meet:


Hi, my mane is Shamla Tsargand. Born in Afghanistan, now I am a naturalized Ukrainian citizen living and working currently in the Netherlands. I have studied MA Management in Social Science, and LLM Public International Law and Human Rights. Being a lifelong migrant myself, I have chosen to work with and help people like myself. Within the last 15 years, I have been working with different types of migration matters, including trafficking in human beings, labor migration, refugee's rights implementation, and integration of various categories of migrants at different levels Europe wide.
As for now, I would love to contribute my knowledge and experience to supporting fellow migrant women becoming more economically active.


Hi! My name is Maryana Mostova. I am 40 years old. I was born in Ukraine. By education, I am a Clothes Tailor of all Kinds of Clothes. I began to master the craftsmanship of making the clothes very early. Therefore, I have attended all the possible courses to learn all the subtleties. At the age of 21, I have moved to the Netherlands. Back then, I went my way of integration and continued to improve in my chosen profession by opening the Miera Kleding workshop for the original production of the closing.
At the moment, I have vast a great desire to share all my experience and knowledge with others.