ABSTRACT
Promoting empowerment, communication and interaction in a group of immigrant Sub-Saharan Africa women has special needs. They come from a very complex social system with many languages and cultural groups. Migration opens to these women doors to a new world of values specifically those regarding gender. At first, there is not only more gender equality, less oppression and discrimination in the new society but also more feelings of uncertainty and insecurity. Those women are from a collectivistic culture. When they apply to be part of an empowerment program led by the Red Cross they also expressed their interest in knowing more of the host country and to improve language and life. Comparison is always both enhancing and threatening to personal and social self-esteem. Women moving to new country are exposed to new ideas and social norms that can promote their rights but enable them to participate in society because of feelings of inability and social distance to the host society.
