Discrimination, bureaucratic challenges, and a lack of knowledge of the Greek language are significant barriers that refugees must overcome in their attempts to integrate into the Greek labour market. Despite these obstacles, many receive vital support from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and through integration and employability programmes conducted in partnership with specialized organizations.
Bruce, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, is one such individual who, after receiving appropriate support, secured a job in the flour industry “Dakos Mills” and now dreams of a brighter future.
When Bruce fled his home country, he had two main priorities: to reach safety and to find a job that would allow him to live with dignity.
“Work is a core part of my life here in Greece. You can learn many things, make new friends, communicate with people of all nationalities and integrate into society”, Bruce says.
Initially, Bruce encountered setbacks in his job search, including unpaid wages, lower wages than promised, and discrimination. His fortunes changed when he sought assistance from the Adama Centre in Athens, operated by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Caritas Hellas, in partnership with UNHCR.
At the Adama Centre, Bruce found comprehensive support. He received assistance in creating his resume, understanding his rights and responsibilities as an employee, connecting with suitable employers and coaching for interviews. Even after Bruce secured a job with his current employer, Adama continued to support him throughout the recruitment process.
Bruce is now one of 580 individuals who have found employment through the Adama Centre. He is employed in the supply chain at Dakos Mills, organizing and loading orders for delivery. Bruce approaches his work with responsibility, understanding the importance of precision and contributing to effective customer service. He is part of a diverse and supportive team that helps each other, including with learning Greek.
Stavros Fotopoulos, plant director at Dakos Mills, emphasizes the collective benefits of supporting integration: “It’s a win-win situation for every business, the economy, and society at large. Exclusion helps no one.” The company has employed nine refugees and asylum-seekers over the past year in collaboration with the Adama Centre.
The headlines highlighting a shortage of personnel have been increasing in recent years. Hundreds of thousands of job positions in key sectors of the Greek economy, such as tourism, agriculture, and constructions, remain vacant. At the same time, thousands of refugees have the skills and willingness to integrate into the labour market. Their employment is a sustainable and inclusive solution that benefits everybody.
For UNHCR, the private sector is pivotal in integrating refugees into both the labour market and broader society, meeting labour demands, and ultimately strengthening the national economy.
“Only through collaboration and partnership can we create an environment that supports the integration of refugees, to the benefit of all”, says Maria Clara Martin, UNHCR Representative in Greece.
Hundreds of businesses, like Dakos Mills, have joined the expansive network that UNHCR has developed through its employability programmes. The online Adama Job Platform, which connects job-seeking refugees in Greece with potential employers nationwide, has also been instrumental in these efforts.
Bruce describes how much more independent he feels and how the stable job he found, along with the support he received from Adama, has changed his daily life.
“Today, I am not the same person I was a long time ago. I am thrilled that I have found a job in Greece with good working conditions. It’s something I never thought possible, after all the hardships I have endured”.
Now aspiring to become a chef, Bruce dedicates his free time to improving his culinary skills, reflecting his newfound confidence and ambition.
As Bruce reflects on his journey, he realizes that his story is not just about finding a job—it’s about resilience, hope, and the transformative power of opportunity. With determination and the support of organizations, like Adama and UNHCR, and compassionate employers like Dakos Mills, Bruce has not only secured employment but has also unlocked a world of possibilities for himself.
About UNHCR’s Hope Away From Home Campaign
“Hope Away from Home” is a global UNHCR campaign calling for renewed solidarity and firm commitments from states to uphold the rights of people seeking safety from war, violence and persecution. Granting access to asylum, family reunification, access to employment and education are all ways states can show people fleeing war, violence, and persecution that there is hope away from home. In Greece, UNHCR works with the government, municipalities, civil society, refugee communities and the private sector to promote policies and programmes facilitating refugee integration and their access to employment and livelihoods, so that refugees can thrive in and contribute to their new home.
