Bruna Silva, a Brazilian designer who had moved to Berlin a few years earlier, began to notice how several women around her, including herself, shared similar complaints: they all believed their immigration journey would have been easier if they had more available and trustworthy information. Moreover, they often felt very lonely in the city and lacked spaces to discuss a range of topics, from bureaucracy and integration, to what to do in their free time in Berlin and how to find a job in Germany.

That's why she decided to create a Facebook group and invited 50 people she knew. The growth was entirely organic, word of mouth, which made it clear just how much women were in need of such a safe space. Today, we count more than 35,000 members from over 100 different nationalities.

As more members joined our community, the responsibilities grew. Bruna identified various gaps and concerns that the IWB project could address. Over time, we evolved beyond a mere online platform, launching several initiatives like: monthly meet-ups where IWBies can mingle and connect, sharing circles to discuss challenges and celebrate victories, and workshops and career panels for professional development.

We also crafted guides and resource lists, and began translating significant news from Germany, ensuring that our members, many of whom are new to the city and still adjusting to the language, stay informed and integrated into German society.

Clearly, managing and supporting for a 35k-woman community isn't a one-person task. IWB thrives thanks to the tireless efforts of many volunteers, tackling roles from group moderation to event organization, from forging brand partnerships to recruiting more hands to further our mission. To dive deeper into what we do at IWB, chek out this link.

The positive ripple IWB creates in the lives of women in Berlin is palpable. We've supported many in planting roots here, building meaningful connections, and securing jobs—thus, fostering a smoother integration into German society. Such achievements led IWB to earn the Best Community in Germany award from Smart Hero and an inclusion in Meta's Acceleration Program.

For our future, we envision having a full-time team of fairly paid women to execute our multitude of ideas, continuing to positively impact women in Berlin.

We are becoming a media hub for women and immigrants in Berlin, covering everything you need to know about this city. We are turning the best threads from our community into articles that will be published on our new newspaper-style website - coming soon!

We will also expand to other cities around Germany and Europe! Would you like to help us achieve this goal? Support our cause and efforts on our Patreon!

You can also become one of our volunteers and be part of our team! Sign up for our newsletter and stay tuned to the brilliant future that is ahead for IWB!