Bridging Labour Gaps and Creating Opportunities – Migrant Women Are Shaping Finland’s Future

Migrant women are shaping the future across various industries in Finland, often against the odds. The promise of migration lies in its potential to benefit everyone: regular pathways provide safe ways for individuals to move for work, education, safety, or love, allowing them to become contributing members of their new communities.

Cecilia, Aziza, and Shielou Ann come from different backgrounds. Each has built a meaningful career and contributed to Finnish society: from bridging the labour gap in the healthcare sector and daycare to advancing migrant integration, from advocacy to entrepreneurship, their impact is undeniable.

Empowerment, as these women show, is not just about individual success—it’s about lifting others, redefining possibilities, and opening doors for future generations.

When all women and girls have equal opportunities, their success benefits us all.

“Growing up in Ghana, I was always curious about the world. I read everything I could get my hands on, had pen pals in different countries, and started volunteering in NGOs as a teenager. That’s how I first got involved in social work—helping young women and traveling to different countries as a youth activist."

Years later, I moved to Finland for love. I started as a cleaner while studying Early Childhood Education, quickly having to balance motherhood and the challenges of a divorce yet still managing to complete my degree ahead of time. Finding work without Finnish or Swedish skills was another challenge, but I kept showing up, proving that my migrant background combined with my Finnish higher education was a valuable asset to the national daycare system. 

Step by step, I built a thriving career in daycare, progressing from teacher to regional coordinator, and eventually becoming the only African director among 180 colleagues in a large company chain. I introduced new practices by bringing in my multicultural expertise and love for music, food, and fashion. In my roles, I shaped new daycare policies, trained staff, and led projects to support the needs of diverse families.

When I struggled to find new opportunities, I created my own: I studied business, started a company in education services and built transnational networks to share my expertise. Last year, I launched a recurring business summit and awards ceremony to celebrate migrant business professionals in Finland. Our migrant community is rich in talent, yet the stories of migrant CEOs with a million-euro revenue rarely make the news. I want to change that by amplifying success stories and showing the impact migrants have in Finland.

Now, I’m also running in the Finnish municipal elections for the first time. Not because I’ve always dreamed of politics, but because I believe in changing the narrative of what migrants can and can’t do. Whether we speak fluent Finnish or not, we can make a difference. If I can help carve out a path for the next generation to dream big, then it’s worth it.”
 

“Since a young age, I’ve wanted to help others: I feel their pain as if it was my own. I am from Afghanistan and arrived in Finland as a quota refugee at the age of 12, after tragically losing my parents. As a young girl navigating both trauma and migration, the journey to regain a sense of safety in my body and soul was slow, but there were sources of light around me: people who saw my potential beyond the scars.

One of those people was my preparatory teacher. She recognized my talent for writing, even when I was only still learning Finnish. She encouraged me to express my thoughts and feelings through words, and that’s how my journey as an advocate began. I participated in writing competitions, and soon I was speaking in schools about issues that were close to my heart—youth rights and peace.

Solution-oriented thinking has always been a strength of mine. Instead of dwelling on challenges, I focus on finding solutions, always in collaboration with others. As a child, I often had to act as an interpreter for adults, and I quickly realized how the role was deeply gendered. While the boys got to play, the girls were expected to shoulder the responsibility of translating some of the heaviest and most sensitive topics. This unequal burden on girls inspired me to pursue a career as a legal interpreter, with the hope that no girl would ever again have to carry such a weight alone.

In addition to being a legal interpreter, I am an expert on Afghanistan and integration, as well as a civic orientation trainer. I am especially proud to have been involved from the beginning in the advocacy process of including civic orientation in Finland’s new integration law. Civic orientation is a course designed for newcomers to Finland, where they learn basic information about life in Finland in their own language. This approach helps prevent misunderstandings and supports smoother integration.

What we do today will shape the opportunities of future generations. No one can achieve change alone, but I can help others see that investing in migrant integration is in everyone’s best interest. When people integrate better and feel safe, they enter the workforce more quickly, which in turn promotes the well-being of society.”
 

“Finland has changed me a lot over the past 13 years. I’ve gained courage, confidence, and learned how to speak my mind. In the beginning, I was taken aback by the directness of Finns and the gender equality here. Coming from Filipino culture, I wasn’t used to expressing myself so boldly as a woman. Now, I value the fact that everyone here has the opportunity to be heard.

The Finnish care sector is facing increasing labour shortages, and international workers helps to bridge this gap – I am one of them. I was employed as a nurse to Finland from the Philippines through a recruitment agency. Before leaving, I took a two-week intensive course and five months of Finnish language studies. We were a group of around twenty nurses who left at the same time, and I’m proud that nearly all of us are still working in Finland. We still remain in close contact.

In the Philippines, I worked as a nurse in the operating room, but my qualifications weren’t recognized in Finland. I completed an apprenticeship to become a licensed practical nurse while working in a mental health and service home. Along the way, my Finnish improved rapidly. Eventually, I studied more to get the qualification of a registered nurse and was able to return to working in the operating room.

A few years ago, an unexpected new opportunity arose. The same company that brought me to Finland asked me to work for them as an HR assistant in the recruitment of Filipino nurses. At first, I wasn’t sure, but I decided to give it a try. Now, I help others follow the same path I once took. I arrange everything they need before coming to Finland, guide them through the early stages, and ensure no one feels alone. I’ve received a lot of gratitude not only from the recruits but also from other Filipinos in Finland.

Helping others is incredibly rewarding—whether it’s caring for patients or supporting the nurses I recruit. My job as an HR assistant has taught me a lot, but I haven’t left nursing behind. I still work shifts in home care, and I know that nurses will always be needed. Both of my professions have made me stronger and taught me that to build a fulfilling life, we need each other’s support.”