The Finnish Refugee Council has named South Sudan-born Theresa Ngouth as 2015’s Refugee Woman of the Year. Ngouth is a vigorous campaigner for the role of women in the peace process – particularly in her country of birth. She called on immigrants and Finns to meet each other halfway if migrants are to integrate successfully.
There’s no returning to conflict-ridden South Sudan anytime soon for 41-year old Theresa Ngouth and her family. She and her husband fled the violence to Lebanon, from where they arrived in Finland as part of a group of quota refugees in the summer of 2004 – just as excruciating structural changes were leaving homes abandoned in Kainuu, eastern Finland.
“Fortunately it was summer! It wasn’t cold, it was green and I thought, ‘Wow! What a place!’ It brought back childhood memories, and of my village, which was also peaceful and green. We had a garden where I used to pick mangoes straight from the tree,” she recalled.
In spite of the warm welcome from Mother Nature, Ngouth has had to grapple with the language – a task that wasn’t always easy. But she was persistent because she wanted to be able to manage her own affairs. At home, she would label everything in Finnish to help consolidate what she learned in class.
“I always say that nothing will come of living in Finland without the language. The first thing is the language; it is the light that opens up the way so that people can see you, and helps you make contacts. I thought about how awful it was for a grown woman to always have to walk around with an interpreter!” she declared.
“I don’t want anyone to interpret me and my characteristics; I want to be able to communicate that directly myself. It empowers you,” she added.
Ngouth: Some immigrants need more help learning the language
Ngouth is calling on all immigrants in Finland – particularly women - to master the Finnish language. However she noted that some may need more help than is currently being offered.
“The situation has improved a great deal, but there’s still more to be done. Women, especially with large families, find it very difficult to get out and study. They need support with child care so that they can get started,” Ngouth pointed out.
Apart from coming to grips with Finnish, Ngouth called on her fellow migrants to find other ways to actively reach out and secure a foothold in Finnish society. Her route to employment as a supervisor in the Korso parish daycare in Vantaa was via her voluntary work and involvement in parish activities.
She acknowledged that everyone isn’t as courageous as she is, but remarked that even more introverted individuals can start from somewhere – perhaps by asking a neighbour to help with the laundry, even if they don’t really need assistance.
The 2015 Refugee Woman of the Year called on Finns in turn to consider offering small signs of encouragement to new neighbours.
”Making it in Finland starts with feeling that you’re welcome and accepted. When people look you in the eye, that creates contact and opens a door,” she concluded.
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