“FREE – FEMALE REFUGEES for ENTREPRENEURSHIP and EMPLOYABILITY” is an Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange project that promotes entrepreneurship and employability among displaced young women — primarily refugees — across the EU. The project empowers them to improve their social and economic status, bridge the gender gap in entrepreneurship, and contribute to post-conflict rehabilitation through innovative, virtual capacity-building activities.

FREE addresses the multiple barriers refugee women face in accessing the labour market — including discrimination based on ethnicity, disability, religion, socio-economic status, or cultural stereotypes — while aligning with EU strategies for inclusion, diversity, and youth employment.

Through an inclusive and intercultural approach, FREE fosters both individual empowerment and community cohesion by equipping young women with practical skills, confidence, and opportunities to participate actively in their host societies.

Key activities include:

• Research into existing inclusion and entrepreneurial initiatives for refugee women.
• Inclusive English and entrepreneurship courses to build communication and business skills.
• Online international youth exchanges fostering intercultural dialogue and collaboration.
• Job shadowing experiences in local organisations and businesses.
• Development of a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) on entrepreneurship and employability.
• Awareness-raising campaigns — including a documentary — to highlight refugee women’s stories and potential.

By providing tools, training, and mentorship, the project helps participants build digital, soft, and entrepreneurial skills, while raising awareness of their contributions to the economy and society.

FREE is implemented by a consortium of organisations from Cyprus, Serbia, Italy, Moldova, Armenia, and Ukraine, working together to promote gender equality, intercultural dialogue, and sustainable employment opportunities for young women in vulnerable situations.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.