Enjoying ironing as a profession to re-build a life from scratch

Angela, from Ukraine, was hired by Sergiu, Moldovan, thanks to a small business grant which increased the volume of his company’s activities. 

“I am enjoying this working experience in Moldova so well, that I will find a job in the same field when I return to Ukraine.”

Angela, 57, from Zaparojie, Ukraine, arrived in Moldova in March 2022 with her daughter Olesea and granddaughter Sophia. Her son-in-law is still on the front lines in Ukraine, and they have not seen him since they fled the country due to the full-scale war.
 
In Moldova, they decided to start their lives from scratch in Ungheni, a city that she already knew because in the past her mother lived there. Upon their arrival, they were hosted in a refugee reception center (RAC) where they met for the first time IOM staff members who offered psychological support, legal advice, and information on available services.

“Here is where I met Sergiu.”

“Angela is a hard-working person and she integrated quickly into our team. I was happy to be able to offer her a job and help her face this difficult situation with her family."

Sergiu, 65, from Ungheni, Moldova, is the owner of Unfloria SRL, a company providing laundry services and garment production for hospitals, nurseries, and other local institutions, which had received a small business grant from IOM in January 2024 with the financial support of the Government of Japan through the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security.

As part of an agreement between RACs and the territorial National Employment Agencies, Sergiu had presented himself at the RAC to offer work to Ukrainian refugees. Angela immediately accepted his proposal and was hired with the task of ironing, even though it was her first time, having worked as a schoolteacher all her life.

“Angela is a hard-working person and she integrated quickly into our team. I was happy to be able to offer her a job and help her face this difficult situation with her family."

Sergiu learned about the IOM and its activities through social media. He applied through a competitive call for applications, presented a project proposal, which was positively evaluated, and thanks to the small loan he purchased equipment which increased the volume of his activities.

“Thanks to the grant received, we have increased the volume of work. And If the company's activities increase, the number of employees and the quality of work also increase.”

Thanks also to this job, Angela was able to rent an apartment where she could live safely and comfortably with her daughter and granddaughter. 
 
And even though Moldovans are kind and understanding to her when she doesn't understand the Romanian language well, she decided to start taking Romanian lessons.

The projects for Angela are not over.

“I'm planning to send my granddaughter to kindergarten, so my daughter can start working too. Mr. Sergiu has already promised me that he will offer work to her too. I told him that I am enjoying this experience and I will find a similar job in Ukraine."

*** 

Unfloria SRL is one of the 16 small businesses owned by Ukrainian refugees and Moldovans which received an IOM small business grant thanks to the generous financial support of the Government of Japan through the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS) within the “Promotion of Human Security of Ukrainian refugees, third-country nationals (TCNs), and the host communities in Moldova through Socio-Economic Empowerment and Inclusion” project.