Across borders and cultures, refugee women often face challenges to regain their professional identities. At the same time, technology is rapidly shaping the future of society and yet there is still room to invest further in diversifying this field.

Sistech’s mission is to bridge this divide. Founded in 2017 by Joséphine Goube, Sistech is a European non-profit supporting displaced women through access to professional opportunities in the tech and digital field. Despite the barriers refugee women may face, they bring a variety of skills and ambition to build the future of technology.

The association targets the tech industry because 44% of tech companies state that employee turnover limits growth targets. The focus on refugee women stems from the fact that 81% of refugee women are still unemployed 5 years after arriving in their host country; this statistic is two times more than refugee men.

Since the start of the organization, 71% of Fellows have had a successful outcome. This includes 41% signing full time jobs, internships, or apprenticeships, and 30% entering a complementary tech training. 

Sistech offers more than just career training programs. Its goal is systemic change through sisterhood. Sistech comes from “Sisters in Technology.” The organization aims to amplify the voices of displaced women with a pathway to rebuild their careers. 

“We don’t just train women for tech jobs, we create a community where they feel seen, supported, and empowered to belong and lead,” said Sistech’s Partnership Officer in France Helay Rahim.

Refugees in France

Refugees make up a small percent of France’s overall population. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees(UNHCR), France has almost 722,000 registered refugees. Sistech Communications Manager Joseph Bamat said that France is not effectively dealing with a refugee crisis. 

“It’s telling that French public figures have largely avoided using the word ‘crisis’ to describe the influx of Ukrainian refugees since 2022, reserving the word rather for earlier waves of asylum seekers from Syria and Afghanistan,” Bamat said.

What is prominent in France is the systematic barrier preventing refugee women from jobs.

War is a large factor for refugee displacement in France. According to the UNHCR, “Most registered refugees currently living in France come from emergencies and protracted crises, such as Afghanistan, Ukraine, the Syrian Arab Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo.”

Prior to Sistech, Goube worked for Techfugees,  which also  connected refugees and tech. Techfugees was founded in 2016 when Europe faced a significant refugee crisis. Though Sistech is independent, it spun off from Techfugees, changing the focus to displaced women. 

Goube’s education consists of a Bachelor of Arts degree from Science Po and Master of Arts degree from London School of Economics and Political Science. Her academic path has provided her knowledge of history, urban planning, and politics to broaden perspective on global dynamics and international affairs. These skills have led to the thoughtful development of Sistech.

Sistech’s Fellowship now includes three programs: Pathway, Springboard, and Boost. Through them, fellows gain technical training and career coaching through a nurturing community. 

Pathway begins with knowledge of the job market, basic digital skills, and an understanding of tech professions. Moving forward into Springboard, technical skills within the field are taught. Fellows end with Boost, which connects them with potential employers through networking. 

Each step of the program is assisted by mentors and trainers to provide professional support. 

The work of Sistech recognizes all layers of exclusion refugee women may face, and welcomes all women without discrimination. In regards to partnerships and collaborations, they intentionally work with companies that share the same values of inclusion, diversity, and equity. True inclusion is important to allow Fellows’ authentic contribution and belonging in the professional world, Bamat said. 

These ideas follow the holistic approach of Sistech. The non-profit provides laptops, wifi, babysitting, mental health support, language classes, and covers expenses for events and interviews. 

Sistech’s team consists of 15 core staff. These staff members work across offices in France, Italy, and Greece. The non-profit is supported by a 12 member board as well as hundreds of volunteers and allies. 

In the last year, Sistech has supported over 200 women, each with their own unique story. Since the beginning of Sistech, the company has worked with 750 alumni across Europe. In 2024, Sistech collaborated with 58 companies to provide jobs and other opportunities for Fellows. 

Refugee Stories

Freweyni Abadi Gebreyohannes is a Sistech alumna from Ethiopia. Growing up, Gebreyohannes had a passion for keys, which she described as “symbols of opportunity and opening new doors in life.” She earned her bachelor's degree in civil engineering before transitioning into the architecture and engineering fields. Her curiosity about tech and digital systems began during her first job where she worked in structural design, logistics, and ERP software.

Eventually, she had to leave her home country to move to France. Through the 2024 Olympics, she worked at The Olympic Village; a residential complex that houses athletes during the games. On the side, she began her new career journey with an online programming course she found, helping her discover her passion for cybersecurity. 

Grebreyohannes heard about Sistech from a friend named Maya Habbot. She received an immense amount of encouragement to join as a source to further her tech career. 

Kateryna Frolova is another Sistech Fellow still working through the program. Prior to joining, she had a very different professional background. She began her career as a fashion hairdresser in Ukraine, later transitioning to a baker and pastry chef. When she first moved to France, she worked in a bakery, but the physical demand was too challenging. This provided her the opportunity to reflect on her future and motivated her to explore the tech field. The constant development and adaptation within tech inspired her to pursue this path. 

Frolova discovered Sistech through a social media ad. She had already started online courses to transition into the tech world.

Joining Sistech has provided both women with invaluable support, allowing them the chance to better understand how the industry works in France. They learned how to build a CV, create a LinkedIn profile, improve their public speaking skills, and engage in career coaching. 

“They helped me believe in myself and gave me the tools to navigate the tech world professionally and confidently,” Gebreyohannes said. 

With Sistech’s support, Fellows find their personal voices. Guidance from mentors gave Gebreyohannes and Frovola the confidence to advocate for themselves in their workplace. “Their support helped me structure my goals and stay focused during my career transition,” Frolova said. 

Currently, Gebreyohannes is in a work-study program at BNP Paribas. She began her third year this September. This opportunity has given her the chance to apply her cybersecurity skills in a professional environment. Her typical day involves monitoring systems for vulnerabilities, analyzing security alerts, and working in the security department. “I am constantly learning on the job and expanding my knowledge through online platforms,” Gebreyohannes said. She has had the opportunity to explore topics such as ethical hacking, network security, and threat analysis. 

Sistech played a decisive role in preparing both women for their careers. Sistech has guided them into the professional tech world of France both technically and developmentally. “Sistech didn’t just support my technical growth,” Gebreyohannes said. “They helped me develop personally and gave me the confidence to pursue my dream career in cybersecurity.”

Frolova is in the process of looking for an internship. She said the search has been challenging so far, but she recently completed her training as a full-stack developer. 

However, with any new change, there are moments of doubt and difficulty. The Fellows shared that it has been very challenging for them to start over in a new country. Both women have had to learn a new language while building their careers. In moments where Geybreyohannes felt lost and uncertain, she turned to her faith as an Orthodox Christian. Her faith, along with the support of the people around, helped her to find growth on this new path. “Now I see every obstacle as a lesson and a preparation for something greater,” she said. 

Frolova has learned how to find patience through the application process. Progress takes time, and every small step has given her the ability to move forward, she said. Sistech is a non-profit that encourages refugee women to pursue their passions, sharing tools for them to take their next career step with confidence. Frolova shared that Sistech is a safe and supportive environment for motivation. Taking that first step is the most important part. “You don’t need to have all the answers right away. Just being curious and willing to grow is enough to begin,” Frovola said. 

For any women in a similar position, Gebreyohannes said to believe in yourself. Even though the road is difficult, you are stronger than you think. She said not to be afraid to start something new because there is so much opportunity for growth and innovation in the tech field. “Your background is not a limitation," she said. 

Toward More Inclusion

Both women believe many companies could offer more mentorship, internship, and training programs designed for refugee women. “Many of us arrive with rich professional experience, strong work ethic, and a deep desire to learn,” Gebreyohannes said. “We just need the chance to prove it.”

Bamat said Sistech would like companies to create environments that value diverse voices and support women of different cultures. This means offering flexible opportunities and creating a space for people to grow. Companies should be open to people who may not have a traditional background, which includes looking at a candidate's potential alongside their CV. 

With the guidance of mentors, friends, and family, refugee women have turned to Sistech to rebuild more than just their professional careers. Sistech creates a space for Fellows to feel supported and empowered through their transition. Through its programs, Sistech supports refugee women in building sustainable careers, while also helping companies strengthen their social impact and DEI commitments, Rahim said.

Sistech is always looking for people to get involved, from individual volunteers to company partnerships. Sistech partners with companies through inclusive hiring, CSR initiatives, and skills-based volunteering, driving social impact and business innovation.

Objectives include raising awareness, promoting DEI and inclusive hiring, CSR and skills volunteering. With the goal of having 1% of refugee women of working age in Europe by 2033, Sistech is actively looking for companies that embrace innovation and inclusive recruitment policies. It is estimated that this number equates to 11,000 women. Sistech is continuously working to leverage new technologies with AI and the help of private and public sector partners. 

Since Sistech began in 2018, the company has implemented 33 different programs while supporting over 900 refugee women.

“We want to reach and support more refugee women in Europe every year," Bamat said, "and continue contributing to the ecosystem of organizations serving uprooted and displaced women.”

Sistech Event

📆 Inclusive hiring in the age of AI | October 16 | Roundtable discussion & breakfast in Paris

How do we ensure the integration of artificial intelligence tools promotes fairness, rather than multiply bias, when businesses hire? Join the European non-profit Sistech, recruitment experts from LinkedIn and Ekino, as well as French government officials and scholars to tackle this timely question. Participate in a candid conversation about how AI has transformed talent acquisition already and leave with concrete HR strategies your company can implement to foster opportunity | Register (FREE)