Over the past weeks, a group of Eritrean women have been gathering at Ru Pare for the Personal Development Course offered by Road of Hope. More than just a series of lessons, the course has become a space of learning, connection, and growth for women who are building new lives in the Netherlands. With each session, the participants have discovered new tools to navigate daily challenges, strengthen their independence, and embrace new opportunities.
Mapping resources and resilience
During one of the group sessions, themed “Resource Map”, the women were encouraged to identify the many sources of support in their lives. Drawing on earlier sessions about stress management, emotions, and social connections, they created personal maps to guide them through future challenges. Their resources fell into four categories: People, Services, Strategies, and Internal Resources.
They also shared how family members, husbands, mothers, children, and close friends remain essential anchors. At the same time, they reflected on cultural differences: while in Eritrea, neighbors and extended community play a big role, this is less common in the Netherlands, making integration a more complex process.
The women also identified key services they use, from GGD and VluchtelingenWerk, to Buurtteams, Ade Eritrea, Road of Hope, Vrouw en Vaart, and Toptaal. One participant even decided to join swimming lessons after hearing about the opportunities.
Their personal strategies and shared tips were just as rich: practicing Dutch daily by writing down words, listening to music, dancing, and maintaining their faith through church and prayer. Finally, they acknowledged their own inner strengths: positivity, resilience, independence, and the will to grow.
As one participant expressed it: “I always want to learn, even from the negative experiences. I try to keep the lessons and forget the bad moments. This is for me important as to not stay down, but to rise up and go further with my life.”
Dutch lessons and new confidence
At the last sessions of the course, the focus shifted to intensive Dutch classes, following an original booklet designed by Road of Hope volunteers in 2024. Themes included introducing oneself, talking about emotions, shopping, traveling, restaurants, and clothing.
In one of these sessions, with six Eritrean participants, some new to the group, they practiced speaking with one another, learning verbs and asking questions. Supported by teacher Khadija, and the intercultural facilitators Semhar and Shefaa, and volunteer Jamila (for childcare), one of the women expressed strong motivation, that they want to communicate better, not only for themselves, but also for their children and families.
Later, the classes were deepened with a supermarket-themed Dutch lesson led by Berta. The women learned more vocabulary for groceries, checked homework, and even discussed a religious holiday dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, sharing cooking traditions. This lively exchange linked language learning with culture and daily life. “The students were very friendly and they are so eager to learn! The sessions and practicing Dutch is definitely something useful for them,” said Berta.
Looking ahead
With the help of our partners Samen Wonen Samen Leven, Ru Pare, and Stichting Nadia Sbai (providing childcare through volunteers such as Jamila, Amina, and Habiba), the sessions have created a safe, welcoming environment where women can learn while their children are cared for. The course now heads towards its conclusion: on September 23rd, the Eritrean women will celebrate their graduation, marking the completion of this transformative 12-week journey.