Mijn Buuf

About Mijn Buuf

My Neighbour is a studio that focuses on vulnerable (migrant) women. Not speaking the language sufficiently, caring for the family, the lack of family/friends/acquaintances in the immediate vicinity, cultural background, domestic violence, financial problems, are reasons why women do not or hardly participate actively in society. However, these women do raise a new generation of Dutch people, while most of them hardly know how the Netherlands ‘works’.

Personal suffering or health problems have an inhibiting effect on (labour) participation. Add to that: insufficient language skills, sometimes low literacy and little or no education, which is why the municipality often labels them as unsuitable for labour participation. Our experience is that many of these women, precisely because they have a history of abuse, domestic violence or war, are great perseverers. They compensate for the lack of education with other talents. They need an environment where their talents are seen and stimulated, in order to become visible in society. This makes us extra motivated to support this almost invisible group!

Producing together is not a goal at Mijn Buuf, but a means to empower women, because we believe that self-reliance is the basis for self-direction, self-development and emancipation. Mijn Buuf is the springboard from the kitchen counter to society.

With more than 20 nationalities present, Dutch must be spoken in order to work together. Practicing the language in practice is something that many women from this target group would otherwise hardly get around to.

At Mijn Buuf we work in two or three phases towards one or more steps higher on the participation ladder. In addition to (re)discovering your own skills, talents and interests, training, coaching and tailor-made guidance make it possible to take these steps. Our experience shows that women from this target group need more time to achieve (labour) participation due to their background. We offer help in finding solutions to personal problems that hinder participation and provide information about life and the rules in the Netherlands.

At My Neighbour we want to show migrant women that self-reliance is important, so that they will be intrinsically motivated to look for (volunteer) work or participate in group activities. We want to make them visible to society, so that they get the opportunities they deserve.