The Challenges Refugee & Immigrant Women and Youth Face
At BeWise, we don’t just identify problems—we create solutions.
Refugee women and youth in Romania face significant obstacles that make economic independence difficult.
Many have lost everything and are forced to start over in a foreign country with limited support.
Here’s what they’re up against:
Language Barriers
🔹 Most jobs require at least a B1-level proficiency in Romanian.
🔹 Language courses are too theoretical , lacking practical communication skills, networking opportunities, and integration strategies.
🔹 Women over 30+ and caregivers struggle to learn a new language from scratch, limiting
Barriers to Credential Recognition
🔹 Doctors, engineers, beauty specialists, and skilled professionals
cannot work because their diplomas aren’t recognized.
🔹 Recertification is expensive and time-consuming, forcing women to abandon their original careers.
🔹Combined with the language barrier, this prevents them from pursuing recertification, accessing employment aligned with their qualifications, or leveraging their expertise for freelancing and small business creation.
Discrimination & Workplace Abuse
🔹 Refugee women face bias in hiring, lower wages, and job insecurity due to their nationality and financial situation.
🔹 Many fear mistreatment and lack the confidence to apply for jobs or start businesses.
Social Isolation
🔹Lack of professional networks makes it harder for women to secure jobs, start businesses, or find mentors.
🔹 Mental health declines when there’s no community or support system, making integration even harder.
Economic Barriers
🔹 Many refugee women cannot access stable jobs or create sustainable income streams.
🔹 Many husbands are at war, leaving women with sole financial responsibility for their children and other dependents.
🔹 Ukrainian women do not receive tax breaks or financial support, creating an unequal economic environment and limiting their financial stability.
Gaps in Career Development & local knowlendge
🔹 Women lack access to professional training, networking, and mentorship tailored to local market needs.
🔹 Without these resources, finding work, freelancing, or starting a business becomes nearly impossible.
🔹Refugee women face difficulties navigating local systems, including education, employment, freelancing, and healthcare.
At BeWise, we don’t just identify the problem—we create solutions.
Career Development Programs – Tailored training, mentorship, and hands-on learning to help women develop new skills for employment, freelancing, and entrepreneurship.
Multilingual Collaboration – Partnering with Moldovan and Romanian business owners to bridge the language gap without requiring formal courses.
New Career Paths – Supporting women in freelancing, self-employment, and business creation, giving them a fresh start.
Socio-Economic Integration– Creating opportunities through volunteering, internships, and exchange programs, connecting refugee women to local professionals and networks.
Our approach transforms barriers into opportunities—giving refugee women and youth the confidence, skills, and connections to achieve financial independence and thrive in their new communities.