CeMeWE project panel discussion “Success stories of migrant women in Riga”, led by IVY volunteer Swathi Babu
The panel discussion, held by the Interreg Volunteer Youth (IVY) volunteer Swathi Babu, was the closing event of the “Empowering Migrant Women” conference that took place on the 4th of February. The panel featured three migrant women who have built their careers in Riga: Pamudi from Sri Lanka, Midhula from India, and Nino from Georgia. Each shared her personal journey of adapting to a new country, navigating professional challenges, and finding growth opportunities. The discussion highlighted resilience, determination, and the importance of community support in shaping successful career paths. After the moderated conversation, the audience asked questions, creating an open and engaging dialogue. The session provided a powerful and meaningful closing to the conference.
The topics discussed during the panel discussion were the challenges participants faced in their career journeys, the sense of belonging and how to find it, the skills and mindsets that helped them overcome obstacles along the way, and advice for the audience. All of the speakers were invited to share their insights on their participation in CeMeWE events as well.
The main conclusion that all of the speakers came to was that the growth of the network is an important factor. Most of them found the jobs and internships they are a part of now due to their connections. “My dream job was offered to me by my friend. She asked me if I was interested in this position, and, of course, I said yes. She recommended that I send the CV to the company and wait for their response. She recommended me, and that is how I scored the job of my dreams,” shared Nino Barjadze. Furthermore, she mentioned that the fear of rejection still followed her through the application process. However, no matter the doubts, she completed the recruitment and gained valuable experience.
The speakers also motivated the audience to go out of their comfort zone and apply for the jobs that seem unreachable. Midhula Augustine had shared that she always dreamt of creating a fun website for some project, and so, she wrote to the CeMeWE partners in Riga Technical University and tried her luck. Her courage was rewarded, as she is now responsible for the creation of the functional webpage prototype for the project. Another story that illustrates resilience is Pamudi Rajapaksha’s story about how she joined CeMeWE as a part of the volunteering team. Pamudi became a part of the project as a participant around 2 years ago, but her attention was caught by an intern application poster just last year. “Even though I was not answered at first, and I was extremely anxious to apply to the CeMeWE volunteering opportunities, I still sent an application.” Pamudi shared. Now she is helping with both data management and organization of events, and has become an irreplaceable part of the team.
The panel discussion of the “Empowering Migrant Women” conference allowed the participants to gain hope and attempt to apply to their dream jobs. It has illustrated how courage and a network allow future employees to achieve the desired career goals and open the doors for the opportunities they might have never considered before.
This activity was supported as part of Project – Central Baltic Mentoring for Migrant Women seeking Employment – CeMeWE CB0100070, as Interreg Central Baltic Programme 2021-2027 project co-funded by the European Union.
