Kateryna's Story

In March 2022, my daughter and I arrived in Birmingham, escaping the war in Ukraine while my husband stayed behind for his patriotic duty. It was a long journey filled with many difficulties, including separation from my loved ones.

I struggled financially and found it quite hard to adjust due to challenges like the English language and unfamiliar weather, but my host and ACH Birmingham, through its training subsidiary Himilo, helped ease my transition.

I attended a job fair where Himilo staff were present. They spoke with me and offered English language classes, employability support, CV revision, and general guidance. Thanks to this support, my English proficiency improved significantly.

I became an ACH volunteer in March 2023, progressed to a part-time Careers & Enterprise Officer, and most recently secured a full-time position.

Other case studies

Parisa's Story

Originally from Iran, Parisa moved to Birmingham in April 2016, having spent 5 months in London.

Mohammed's story

Moving to Wolverhampton as a refugee, Mohammed met some friends who suggested for him to contact ACH. ACH helped Mohammed with a variety of different things when he arrived in the UK. Firstly, Mohammed was given a house to live in.

Samir's story

Originally from Sudan, Samir came to the UK already passionate about accountancy, having studied for an Accountancy degree in Sudan. However, Samir had to leave his home country before he was able to finish his degree.