Two Ukrainian friends have started new digital marketing jobs through support from Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce to bring their lives to 'normality' after being forced to flea their home country amidst the Russian invasion of Ukrainian.
Nastia Novikova and Anna Neustroieva have been able to start new jobs after moving to Hertford. Digital marketers Nastia and Anna returned from an evening at a restaurant with friends when they learned of the invasion, which started on February 24 earlier this year. This led them both to make the difficult decision to leave their home and escape to Poland.
However, what made the Ukrainian friends move to Hertford was when corporate account manager from Handelsbanken in Hertford Adam Taylor watched the gruesome events unfold. As a result, Adam and his wife Jo registered to open their doors to Ukrainian refugees in need of shelter.
After the process was sorted, both Nastia and Anna arrived in Hertford and Adam set his sights on helping the Ukrainian pair find work. Adam contacted Herts Chamber corporate relations manager Mary Sykes, who introduced him to Viv Debnam at Fore Street employment agency and Justine Perry, of Cariad Marketing, who are both Chamber members hoping to help women become more independent.
The Ukrainian young women now have jobs in Hertford after Adam's help. Nastia has secured a permanent position with Cariad, while Anna has a temporary position in Hertford.
Chamber chief executive officer Briege Leahy expressed her delight and emphasised the importance of networking to change Nastia and Anna's "unbearable circumstances" into a "semblance of normality".
She said: “These two young women have escaped a war zone and I am delighted that our members have come together to give them, not just a safe place to live, but also to provide them with employment so their lives have a semblance of normality.”
“I am so pleased to see the power of networking at work among our members at a time when it was really needed. The lives of Nastia and Anna have been turned upside down in the most unbearable circumstances, but for now, they have a safe home in Hertfordshire.”
