Setlementti Naapuri

The aim of Naistari is to provide a living room for migrant women and children where they can take part in different activities in a safe way. At Naistari migrant women can e.g. study Finnish language, practise the use of language in discussion groups, share their experiences of living in Finland and get more information about Finnish culture and society. At Naistari there is also a social worker, who can help women with their social problems. Naistari is situated in Hervanta, Tampere.

Those who benefit from Naistari's operation are mostly migrant women, who come from the cultures where women traditionally stay at home, and who therefore have a low educational background, and who lack qualifications for vocational training and working life.

Migrant women are often very dependent on their families. Therefore the empowerment of women and girls concerns the whole family. Support of the other women in the same situation is very important. Also the possibility to have professional help from the social worker is very valuable in solving problems that arise in the new cultural context.

Most migrant women have learnt Finnish and have got courage to take care of their daily tasks in Finnish. By combining social and cultural work many cultural conflicts have been prevented and the empowerment of women has become possible.

Naistari is funded by Finland´s Slot Machine Association (RAY).

Naistari's operation is coordinated by Kirsti Viljanen. For contact information see the column on the right.