Where are we really contributing to development? Women migrant entrepreneurs in the Netherlands

This paper argues that migrants in the Netherlands contribute significantly to the development of both, their host and country of origin. To illustrate this point, the stories of 4 women migrant entrepreneurs coming from outside of the EU will demonstrate the role migrants play in the Netherlands and what their contribution is to development. In the analysis of their contributions, there are three statements suggested by the data: first, migrants prefer self-employment as a response to the difficulties facing the labor market. Second, business creation represents an exercise of rediscovering cultural values and skills, which prove to contribute significantly to the development of both countries. Finally, the access to these skills and values demonstrates that migrant entrepreneurs live translocal lives. In doing so, they belong to both, serve as support, and also contribute to different networks in different locales.