Amara’s story
Amara, 43 years old, arrived in Italy a year and a half ago in search of a better future. In Nigeria, her home country, she had studied accounting and worked in that field for some time. However, low salaries and unstable working conditions forced her to take on other jobs as a babysitter and cleaner — a life marked by responsibility and hard work, but with no real prospects for growth. Leaving her 8-year-old daughter in the care of her sister, Amara decided to move to Italy, hoping to build a safer life for them both.
Today, she lives in Milan in an apartment within the SAI reception system. In July 2024, she joined the Work Is Progress program with a clear goal: to improve her Italian and find a job consistent with her skills and aspirations.
At first, her main challenge was the language. Although she spoke fluent English and had a solid educational background, the language barrier prevented her from fully integrating and accessing job opportunities. She was referred to the program by another organization.
Thanks to Work Is Progress, Amara began a comprehensive pathway of orientation, training, and mentoring, which included:
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two Italian language courses (one traditional and one experiential),
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a digital literacy course,
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individual and group job-orientation activities,
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professional mentoring, and
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“professional tastings” in the fields of gardening, beekeeping, and logistics.
Throughout all these activities, Amara showed curiosity, motivation, and a great willingness to engage.
Over the course of a year, she improved her Italian, learned how to write her CV, and mastered digital tools for active job searching. The hands-on experiences in agriculture and logistics helped her regain the confidence and determination to return to her original profession.
A month ago, she started a six-month internship at the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Milan, where she is responsible for archiving and administrative support. For her, this represents not just a job, but an important step toward reconnecting with her professional identity.
Thanks to her commitment and the support of Work Is Progress, Amara is now building, step by step, a stable and promising future in Italy — for herself and for her daughter.
To learn more about Amara’s story and those of other participants, download the full version of our 2024 Report and stay updated on ongoing and upcoming projects here on our website and on LinkedIn.
