Good news: A rare success story of refugee integration in Bulgaria
Finding a job is crucial for refugees finding their feet in a new country. Not just to earn a living, but also to integrate and make links with the local community. But in Bulgaria, for most refugees finding a job and making ends meet is an arduous task. Typically, they don't yet know the language, cannot navigate the local labour market or face difficulties having their qualifications recognized. Some face discrimination by employers and co-workers and many settle for illegal work, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation. The Iraqi Palestinian family, Sammy and Maha Mahmud and their four daughters, buck the trend: they are among the few refugees in Bulgaria who have managed to set up their own business and run it so successfully that they are now self-reliant. On a dairy farm near the village of Ezero, some 15km from the Banya Reception Centre where they lived while waiting for their refugee claims to be decided, the family raises goats and cows to produce milk, cheese and y...