From fleeing war to delivering world-class business results: A Ukrainian refugee’s story.
Iryna Kryshmar, who worked as an aerial gymnast in the circus, left Ukraine with her 11- year-old son and only two small suitcases in March 2022 after sheltering from Russian attacks for three weeks.
By then a fitness trainer and accomplished artistic gymnastics coach, Iryna and her son arrived in the UK after struggling to find work in Poland.
They lived with a host family in Rugby for almost a year who helped them re-build their lives in their new, uncertain reality. Frantically learning English, they gradually found their own home, a new school and Iryna secured some coaching work, although her elite mindset left her with a strong desire to achieve more.
Iryna discovered graphic design and, over the course of a year, took multiple courses at the same time, with a clear goal of building a new career. Via EqualReach, 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.
Amazon Graphic Designer Iryna Kryshmar, 41, commented: “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 I’m privileged to be one of two graphic designers covering the UK and European market, creating a high volume of premium content. One of my designs helped a product seller increase their revenue by 400%, 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 commented: “Iryna is the perfect example of a highly motivated refugee who can add tremendous value to a business. The IMF estimates a shortage of 85 million 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.”
Find out more about how inclusive sourcing can help achieve both business and social impact goals at EqualReach.
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