The organization Home Accommodation Support Association gained new strength when Anzhelika Butenko joined us in mid-January
She works in the organization as a community work expert, specifically responsible for working with clients who speak Ukrainian and Russian, as well as supporting housing providers.
Previously, Anzhelika worked at the Moniheli ry organization. For nearly two years, she assisted immigrants as a housing expert within the Katto program. During this time, she personally held over a thousand meetings with clients and helped hundreds of immigrants with housing issues in Finland.
“This experience has given me a deep understanding of the challenges faced by displaced people from other countries and strengthened my ability to help them adapt to a new environment. My goal is to provide immigrants with the opportunity to integrate into Finnish society more quickly and easily, as well as to help Finnish society accept new residents and open up to intercultural development.”
Leona Kotilainen, who had already been working in the organization on communications since last year, continues to work as a community work and communications expert since December.
In this role, Leona focuses on planning and implementing communications as well as developing and coordinating volunteer activities.
Kotilainen is an experienced communicator and in getting people to participate, and has worked for various organizations, trade unions, and media. Her areas of focus include vulnerable populations, so supporting asylum seekers and Ukrainians who have received temporary protection fits well in this.
“Solidarity, such as providing shelter to those in need in your own home, is incredibly important today, at a time when people are being displaced from their homes both in Finland and around the world. Solidarity shows that many people want to help those in need, and I want to be a part of this process.”