Born in Campos, a small town north-east of Rio de Janeiro, in 1986, Monique Lunow came to Germany in 2016 to learn German. As part of a professional reorientation, she decided to study social work at ASH Berlin during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. After the birth of her second child (2022), Lunow decided to start a business in the social sector.
In this interview, we find out more about her project "De mãos dadas" ("Hand in Hand" translated from Portuguese), which aims to work with migrant women.
What is your start-up about?
Monique Lunow: It's about advice and support services for women who come to Germany from Portuguese-speaking countries.
What do you see as the need there?
After the birth of my child, I myself needed support in various areas in my new phase of life. The challenge of looking after a small child far away from my family and the search for a new career direction had a strong impact on me. It took me a long time to find the right, low-threshold information regarding the recognition of foreign school-leaving qualifications and diplomas, integration in the job market and support for migrant mothers and families in Germany. In the meantime, I have met numerous women with the same needs who are open to and grateful for migration advice in order to accelerate their integration into the labor market, which in turn contributes to their financial independence.
What first steps are important for "De mãos dadas"?
Networking and social media work to reach the target group. As the language barrier is one of the main reasons why women from the Portuguese communities are reluctant to make full use of counseling services, counseling in their native language is the key factor. This makes it possible to clarify the mission and its objectives.
Setting up a company is a process... Where are you now, what is your next step and how far away is the goal?
I am currently drawing up a business plan and describing my steps in detail in order to be able to explain processes better. Since I haven't finished my studies yet, my goal is still a few steps away, but with the EXIST-Women program I was able to gain a lot of information and develop an awareness for my start-up.
"Some return to their home countries without having exhausted their potential in Germany"
If your start-up is successful, how does society benefit from your project?
I know of cases in which highly qualified and linguistically adept women who have worked for a long time in large corporations abroad end up in Germany in areas of work in which they sometimes feel underchallenged. Because of the pressure to integrate and because they cannot quickly meet the language requirements, they work in nursing, the hotel industry or childcare. Some return to their home countries because of family support, but also because they want to return to the professions they have learned, without having exhausted their potential in Germany.
I see my start-up idea as an opportunity to contribute the life and work skills of highly qualified women to a better functioning migration society by accompanying them on their path to professional and social integration. An important component is online counseling, which enables me to support women remotely. In this way, I can answer questions about preparing for arrival in Germany and be a first migration counselor for those living in German states where counseling in a foreign language such as Portuguese or even in English is difficult to access.
How does the EXIST Women program support you?
For me, the EXIST Women program is a valuable tool to get questions about starting a business answered by experts. The whole program is based on an instructive and varied series of workshops, coaching and network meetings that strengthen and advance us participants in our start-up project.
What advice would you like to give future female entrepreneurs at ASH Berlin?
Stay on the ball! There is no small idea that cannot become big with the EXIST-Women program. The female entrepreneurs are shown a wealth of information and support options. Therefore, it would be advisable to make as much time as possible for the program in order to fully benefit from the wonderful offers.
Read more...
With its Start-up Center and thanks to the EXIST-Women funding line (with funds from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection), ASH Berlin supports women who are considering self-employment even in the pre-start-up phase.
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