For nearly three decades, Aleu, a South Sudanese refugee, called Kenya home. Aleu arrived with his parents at Kakuma Refugee Camp in 1996 at the age of four. His entire childhood and educational journey—from elementary to high school—were shaped by the environment of Kakuma.
After completing his education, Aleu worked for four years as a Community Rehabilitation Worker with Handicap International, now known as Humanity and Inclusion, focusing on supporting the elderly and individuals with disabilities. “During that time, I gained experience working with the most vulnerable people, and I was pleased to work with them because these are the people the community needs to help,”
In June 2021, Aleu learned about the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) program through a friend. The EMPP program offers skilled refugees and displaced people the opportunity to work permanently in Canada. RefugePoint partners with the Canadian Government, UNHCR, and Talent Beyond Boundaries to help qualified refugees in Kenya immigrate to Canada through work-based visas. Seeing that he met the criteria, Aleu applied without hesitation.
In 2022, Aleu secured a position as a Continuing Care Assistant with Northwood Care, a long-term care organization in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. “I believe they [Northwood] will show us how to adapt to the new environment and work, making it easier for us,” he shared.
Beatrice, a Labor Mobility Senior Associate with RefugePoint, shared, “Working in Labor Mobility has helped us shed light on refugees who are highly skilled professionals. Many refugees are not paid well, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation. EMPP candidates like Aleu can find stable employment opportunities and begin to rebuild their lives.”
“My contribution to my new community will be as a Continuing Care Assistant.
I’ll be helping people in my community through my employer. If I have time, I’ll also help others who need my help. I believe I will contribute much of what I know to my new community,” Aleu shared.
Aleu was resettled in Nova Scotia, Canada, in February 2025.