She arrived in the Netherlands without speaking Dutch. She started out cleaning for a construction company in Amsterdam. Twenty-three years later, Souad El Markhous had become its co-owner.
Her journey begins in Morocco, then passes through odd jobs, studies and learning Dutch. It also includes difficult moments. But Souad El Markhous eventually takes on a central role in the company that first hired her as a cleaner.
From Larache to Amsterdam
Souad El Markhous is originally from Larache. In 1991, she moved to the Netherlands to live with an aunt.
She had to pay rent and quickly find a job. She spoke almost no Dutch and did not have any Dutch diploma.
She accepted a few hours of cleaning work at the construction company De Combi in Amsterdam.
At that time, however, her real goal lay elsewhere. Souad wanted to study and to build a real career in the Netherlands.
Studying in secret
Her job allowed her to cover her basic needs, but she did not give up on her ambitions.
Souad gradually learned Dutch. At the same time, she pursued studies alongside her professional activity.
This period required a great deal of effort. She worked during the day, then dedicated part of her time to education and training.
Step by step, her profile evolved. She was no longer confined to cleaning tasks.
From cleaner to company employee
Her path within De Combi then took a new direction.
Thanks to her skills and training, Souad gradually gained access to other responsibilities. She discovered different aspects of the company and of the construction sector.
This experience allowed her to understand how the business worked from the inside.
She came to know the company from several angles: she entered as a cleaning employee and eventually took part in its management.
A company on the brink of bankruptcy
The story then went through an especially difficult period.
De Combi faced serious financial difficulties and risked bankruptcy.
Souad joined the efforts to keep the business running. This period further strengthened her involvement in the company.
The context ultimately became a turning point in her professional journey.
Twenty-three years after her arrival
In 2014, 23 years after joining the company, Souad El Markhous became co-owner of De Combi.
The change is highly symbolic: the woman who once cleaned the premises now helps make the company’s key decisions.
Her journey illustrates a professional rise built over many years. It also shows how essential education and language learning can be for people starting a new life abroad.
A journey that goes beyond professional success
The story of Souad El Markhous is not just about a change in job title.
It also tells the story of gradual integration. She arrived in the Netherlands without speaking the language; she worked, studied and acquired new skills.
More than two decades later, she became co-owner of the company where she had started as a cleaner.
Her journey stands as an example of professional and social mobility within the Moroccan diaspora in the Netherlands.
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