After fleeing Ukraine, many refugees are faced with the question of what to do next. One of them is Sofiia Fomenko. The 21-year-old was the first Ukrainian to find work in Bamberg - with REWE saleswoman Annemarie Rudel.
Sofiia Fomenko's story gives hope: still on the run at the beginning of March, she now works at the Rudel REWE supermarket in Bamberg, Bavaria. The 21-year-old fled her home in Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine by bus and train via Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Nuremberg before finally finding her current home in Bamberg. Fomenko's luck: her boyfriend has been studying in the Upper Franconian city for two years, so a new home was waiting for her here.
Fomenko studied psychology in Ukraine - and only needed another year to complete her degree. But the Ukrainian didn't dwell on her fate for long and acted pragmatically: just two weeks after fleeing to Germany, she happened to see a job advert for a REWE supermarket and applied. Shortly afterwards, she started working for REWE saleswoman Annemarie Rudel.
Unbureaucratic bureaucracy
Fortunately, the German language does not stand in the way of Sofiia Fomenko's new job: she has been attending an international language school for a year and has a good command of German. But regardless of the language: "We immediately had a good chemistry," says businesswoman Annemarie Rudel. However, if there were ever a barrier to understanding, Fomenko would find Russian-speaking colleagues who could translate and help.
A much bigger problem for Sofiia Fomenko and Annemarie Rudel was the German bureaucracy: before the Ukrainian was allowed to start at the REWE store, a number of formal issues had to be clarified. However, all the hurdles were overcome within a week. According to Annemarie Rudel, this speed is also thanks to the unbureaucratic approach of the Bamberg city council.
Her new job is not only a welcome distraction, she also enjoys it, says Fomenko. She particularly enjoys working at the hot bar. She also enjoys her new home: "Bamberg is so cosy and friendly," she enthuses.
Work according to collective agreement
And what does Sofiia Fomenko want for the future? "Simply peace!" Her grandmother, mother and sister are currently in Poland, while Fomenko's father is still in Ukraine. However, the young Ukrainian is optimistic about the future: "I'm glad that I've found a job." Many Ukrainians are still looking for a job. Businesswoman Rudel emphasises: "It's important to me that all employees are entitled to wages and holidays according to their classification in the collective agreement. We don't know whether we won't find ourselves in a similar situation one day. Then we would be just as happy to be welcomed with open arms."
Most customers respond to the new team member in a very positive, friendly and understanding manner. There is just one language barrier: the Franconian dialect. It wasn't in the Ukrainian's German textbooks. But Sofiia Fomenko will overcome this obstacle too.
