Until about a month ago, Maryna Hrynkovska didn’t know a thing about making furniture.
In her hometown of Odesa, Ukraine she used to be a hairdresser — a job she was forced to abandon after her life was upended when Russia invaded the country one year ago.
“I’m trying not to think about this many times because it’s very difficult for me,” she said tearfully.
The 28-year-old arrived in Montreal in December 2022 and immediately began searching for work.
After posting her resume on Facebook, she was contacted by a fellow Ukrainian who’s been working at Elran Furniture in Pointe-Claire for several years.
Oksana Hanachivska says when the war began, she was doing some volunteering at a local church and heard about some new arrivals who didn’t speak French or English and needed work.
She approached her human resources director asking if the company would be willing to hire some Ukrainians to work in the furniture factory, and was told so long as she could help translate, they were welcome.
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Since last February, 75 Ukrainians have found employment there — so many that the company has been able to create a new production line.
“At that time, we had a lot of jobs to fill, we had a lack of personnel, so it was a good fit,” said Mélissa Forget, Elran’s HR director.
The company says beyond a job, it was also important for them to make sure their new employees felt welcome in their new province.
They helped with lodging, winter clothing and French classes.
“To make them feel at home, protected, comfortable,” said Eric Abecassis, Elran Furniture president. “And they’re giving us back a devoted, motivated skill.”
Today, there are around 40 Ukrainians working at Elran.
Maryna says many of them don’t know if they’ll ever be able to go back to Ukraine.
She says it feels good to know she’ll always have a place to call home.
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