A ‘DETERMINED work ethic’ has helped a Ukrainian refugee ‘rebuild her life from scratch’ in Rugby and rise to the top of her new career after she fled the Russian invasion with her 11-year-old son.
Iryna Kryshmar, who worked as an aerial gymnast in the circus, left Ukraine with her son and just two small suitcases in 2022 after sheltering from Russian attacks for three weeks.
A fitness trainer and accomplished artistic gymnastics coach, Iryna and her son arrived in the UK after struggling to find work in Poland.
For almost a year, they lived with a host family in Rugby who helped them rebuild their lives in their new reality.
Quickly learning English, they eventually found their own home and a new school, and Iryna secured some coaching work – but her resolute mindset pushed her to achieve more.
Iryna, 41, discovered graphic design and, over the course of a year, took multiple courses at the same time, with the goal of building a new career.
Via EqualReach, a scheme which connects tech-skilled refugees with digital work opportunities, she secured a position at Amazon and for more than a year has been thriving at the Fortune 50 company.
Iryna said: “My life is divided between ‘before’ and ‘after’ the war.
“It was devastating to lose our sense of safety, meaningful work, plans for the future and even loved ones. Every day was a frustrating, stressful step into an unknown new world, but a determined work ethic has made all the difference.”
At Amazon, she is now one of two graphic designers covering the UK and European market, creating a high volume of premium content.
She added: “One of my designs helped a product seller increase their revenue by 400 per cent, which was a very motivating result.
“I am truly grateful for the chance to be part of the Amazon team and to EqualReach for their support, trust, and belief in me to open a new professional chapter in my life.
“Step by step I continue to build a life from scratch, having only hope, belief in the future, perseverance and resilience to keep moving toward my goals.”
EqualReach Founder and CEO Giselle Gonzales said Iryna was the perfect example of a highly motivated refugee who can add value to a business.
She added: “The International Monetary Fund estimates a shortage of 85million tech staff by 2030, and displaced talent is ideally placed to plug that skills gap for both profit and purpose.
“Hiring or outsourcing projects to vetted teams of refugees is changing lives – but it isn’t charity; it makes great business sense because tech-skilled workers like Iryna are delivering world class results.”
Visit www.equalreach.io for more information.
