RefugePoint, Author at RefugePoint

Hakizimana

RefugePoint | July 19, 2021

Hakizimana is the proud owner of a barbershop nestled in the Eastleigh suburb of Nairobi. “I used to work for someone here in Eastleigh, a Kenyan. I enjoy doing this work as a barber, and I saw that if I can do it by myself, it would be better than working for someone else,” he said as we spoke to him about his business. When he arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, from Burundi in 2015, Hakizimana knew he had to find an income-generating activity quickly. He worked at a barbershop until 2019, when he made up his mind to strike out on his own.

In 2019, Hakizimana approached RefugePoint for support and received training on running a business, creating a savings culture, and keeping proper records. With this newly gained knowledge, a $200 start-up business grant,and two office chairs donated to him through the efforts of his caseworker, Hawa, Hakizimana started a small barbershop in his neighborhood. The business picked up, and soon Hakizimana saved up enough money to buy specialized barber’s chairs and hire employees. Soon after, he expanded the shop to include a salon.

The start of the COVID-19 pandemic brought many businesses to a halt across Nairobi. Like many entrepreneurs, Hakizimana was seriously affected. The barbershop was already widely popular in his neighborhood, and he was looking at setting up a second location, but the lockdowns forced him to halt those plans. Thankfully, Hakizimana had developed a good saving habit, putting away $5 at the end of every day in his mobile money account. This money helped him stay afloat during the lockdowns, and RefugePoint supported Hakizimana with rent and a small grant to restart the business once the lockdowns ended.

However, business is challenging. “I pay for a daily license fee since I cannot get a monthly license with my refugee identification. The county officials often come to cart away my equipment, saying I don’t have a license. I have learned how to speak to them and appeal to their human side so that they can leave my business alone,” Hakizimana told us.

The business has helped Hakizimana and his family become self-reliant. He can now meet his family’s needs comfortably, unlike when he worked for another barber. Hakizimana hopes that when business picks up again, he will finally open a branch in a second location.

Hakizimana wanted to share a message of hope to other refugees who are thinking of starting businesses: “What’s important is having patience. That patience will help you to figure out what you want to do. With that patience, even with just 5 shillings, you can get to where you want.”

Hakizimana is the proud owner of a barbershop nestled in the Eastleigh suburb of Nairobi. “I used to work for someone here in Eastleigh, a Kenyan. I enjoy doing this work as a barber, and I saw that if I can do it by myself, it would be better than working for someone else,” he said as we spoke to him about his business. When he arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, from Burundi in 2015, Hakizimana knew he had to find an income-generating activity quickly. He worked at a barbershop until 2019, when he made up his mind to strike out on his own.

In 2019, Hakizimana approached RefugePoint for support and received training on running a business, creating a savings culture, and keeping proper records. With this newly gained knowledge, a $200 start-up business grant,and two office chairs donated to him through the efforts of his caseworker, Hawa, Hakizimana started a small barbershop in his neighborhood. The business picked up, and soon Hakizimana saved up enough money to buy specialized barber’s chairs and hire employees. Soon after, he expanded the shop to include a salon.

The start of the COVID-19 pandemic brought many businesses to a halt across Nairobi. Like many entrepreneurs, Hakizimana was seriously affected. The barbershop was already widely popular in his neighborhood, and he was looking at setting up a second location, but the lockdowns forced him to halt those plans. Thankfully, Hakizimana had developed a good saving habit, putting away $5 at the end of every day in his mobile money account. This money helped him stay afloat during the lockdowns, and RefugePoint supported Hakizimana with rent and a small grant to restart the business once the lockdowns ended.

However, business is challenging. “I pay for a daily license fee since I cannot get a monthly license with my refugee identification. The county officials often come to cart away my equipment, saying I don’t have a license. I have learned how to speak to them and appeal to their human side so that they can leave my business alone,” Hakizimana told us.

The business has helped Hakizimana and his family become self-reliant. He can now meet his family’s needs comfortably, unlike when he worked for another barber. Hakizimana hopes that when business picks up again, he will finally open a branch in a second location.

Hakizimana wanted to share a message of hope to other refugees who are thinking of starting businesses: “What’s important is having patience. That patience will help you to figure out what you want to do. With that patience, even with just 5 shillings, you can get to where you want.”

Juvenal

RefugePoint | July 12, 2021

After facing difficult circumstances upon arrival in Nairobi, Juvenal can now proudly care for himself. When he arrived in Kenya from his native country of Burundi in 2015, Juvenal was ailing from complications in his spine, which limited his mobility and made him unable to stay on his feet for any period of time. He was unable to care for himself and relied on the goodwill of fellow refugees and others in his vicinity.

“Before I got to RefugePoint, life was hard. I hadn’t gotten help to know where to get treatment. I didn’t have much hope,” Juvenal recently told us.

RefugePoint stepped in and helped Juvenal access the treatment he needed. Once we were confident the treatment was going well, we supported Juvenal with training on how to run a business and granted him some funds to start a business selling women’s shoes.

“When they helped me, I was able to sort out my needs.” He later began selling women’s clothes and popular items like athletic wear in addition to shoes.

Juvenal said, “I was happy when they came to help me, and I saw that truly, there are organizations out there who care about us who are differently-abled. RefugePoint assessed me and gave me help. They show you that you can try your best to pull yourself up from where you are.”

Juvenal got a resettlement opportunity in April 2021 to France. The business’s profits helped him get ready to travel as he could buy luggage and some cold weather clothes quickly. Instead of folding the business, Juvenal elected to hand it over to a friend and fellow refugee, Bonith, who struggled to provide for his family. Bonith hosted Juvenal when he arrived in Nairobi in 2015. Juvenal even gave Bonith startup capital to help him get on his feet quickly. The spirit of helping others is strong within the refugee community.

Juvenal looks forward to getting back to school now that he has resettled in France. As we discussed what he wanted to do when he got to France, Juvenal said, “I want to study social work and humanitarian work because I have a passion for helping people.”

After facing difficult circumstances upon arrival in Nairobi, Juvenal can now proudly care for himself. When he arrived in Kenya from his native country of Burundi in 2015, Juvenal was ailing from complications in his spine, which limited his mobility and made him unable to stay on his feet for any period of time. He was unable to care for himself and relied on the goodwill of fellow refugees and others in his vicinity.

“Before I got to RefugePoint, life was hard. I hadn’t gotten help to know where to get treatment. I didn’t have much hope,” Juvenal recently told us.

RefugePoint stepped in and helped Juvenal access the treatment he needed. Once we were confident the treatment was going well, we supported Juvenal with training on how to run a business and granted him some funds to start a business selling women’s shoes.

“When they helped me, I was able to sort out my needs.” He later began selling women’s clothes and popular items like athletic wear in addition to shoes.

Juvenal said, “I was happy when they came to help me, and I saw that truly, there are organizations out there who care about us who are differently-abled. RefugePoint assessed me and gave me help. They show you that you can try your best to pull yourself up from where you are.”

Juvenal got a resettlement opportunity in April 2021 to France. The business’s profits helped him get ready to travel as he could buy luggage and some cold weather clothes quickly. Instead of folding the business, Juvenal elected to hand it over to a friend and fellow refugee, Bonith, who struggled to provide for his family. Bonith hosted Juvenal when he arrived in Nairobi in 2015. Juvenal even gave Bonith startup capital to help him get on his feet quickly. The spirit of helping others is strong within the refugee community.

Juvenal looks forward to getting back to school now that he has resettled in France. As we discussed what he wanted to do when he got to France, Juvenal said, “I want to study social work and humanitarian work because I have a passion for helping people.”

Community Health at RefugePoint

RefugePoint | June 29, 2021

woman visiting another woman and her child

RefugePoint implements a robust community health program that reaches approximately ten thousand refugees annually with critical information of public health importance. RefugePoint also partners with local government health departments in support of immunization and other public health campaigns. When refugees are struggling with mental and physical health issues, they cannot work and support themselves and their families. Lack of income due to poor health impedes self-reliance, and this situation often creates further emotional distress for the individual.

When refugees flee from their country of origin to seek asylum, they often experience culture and system shock. On arrival in countries of asylum, they must adapt to new cultures and learn new systems, despite language barriers and bureaucratic complexities. Unfortunately, for many refugees, COVID-19 has made this process even more difficult.

COVID-19 related lockdowns severely limited access to health services and caused rolling drug shortages. Many people also refused to visit health facilities for fear of contracting the virus. Making the situation even worse, misinformation and misconceptions about COVID-19 circulated across communities fuelling unfounded worries.

RefugePoint addressed these challenges during the pandemic, by sending frequent informational text messages to over 5,000 refugees in multiple languages. The messages included critical public health information about coronavirus symptoms, hotlines to call for information, health and safety measures, government regulations, mental health support, and messages of hope – reassuring clients during this difficult time. In addition, during the early months of the pandemic, RefugePoint offered health education to refugee communities in Nairobi on proper sanitation and best practices to minimize the spread of infection.

Photo: Amy Toensing

RefugePoint staff made telemedical calls to refugees to encourage them to visit health facilities when they fell sick and to get vaccinated as soon as possible. RefugePoint also provided information to patients and families with loved ones who suffer from chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and convulsive disorders, amongst other diseases. We created WhatsApp groups that served as a convergence space for the health team. We also offered health consultations and feedback via telephone to reduce in-person contact. Our counseling team provided individual support to clients through tele-counseling, therapy group sessions via teleconferencing, and support group sessions via Zoom.

RefugePoint’s Community Navigators helped to refill patients’ drug prescriptions. Our staff received valid prescriptions, transcribed them, and then delivered the essential medications to their clients. Our health team also offered virtual training on the management of chronic diseases and identified vulnerable families to enroll them in the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

RefugePoint’s health services aim to reduce the spread of COVID-19 through community health interventions and concerted efforts within communities and households.

RefugePoint implements a robust community health program that reaches approximately ten thousand refugees annually with critical information of public health importance. RefugePoint also partners with local government health departments in support of immunization and other public health campaigns. When refugees are struggling with mental and physical health issues, they cannot work and support themselves and their families. Lack of income due to poor health impedes self-reliance, and this situation often creates further emotional distress for the individual.

When refugees flee from their country of origin to seek asylum, they often experience culture and system shock. On arrival in countries of asylum, they must adapt to new cultures and learn new systems, despite language barriers and bureaucratic complexities. Unfortunately, for many refugees, COVID-19 has made this process even more difficult.

COVID-19 related lockdowns severely limited access to health services and caused rolling drug shortages. Many people also refused to visit health facilities for fear of contracting the virus. Making the situation even worse, misinformation and misconceptions about COVID-19 circulated across communities fuelling unfounded worries.

RefugePoint addressed these challenges during the pandemic, by sending frequent informational text messages to over 5,000 refugees in multiple languages. The messages included critical public health information about coronavirus symptoms, hotlines to call for information, health and safety measures, government regulations, mental health support, and messages of hope – reassuring clients during this difficult time. In addition, during the early months of the pandemic, RefugePoint offered health education to refugee communities in Nairobi on proper sanitation and best practices to minimize the spread of infection.

Photo: Amy Toensing

RefugePoint staff made telemedical calls to refugees to encourage them to visit health facilities when they fell sick and to get vaccinated as soon as possible. RefugePoint also provided information to patients and families with loved ones who suffer from chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and convulsive disorders, amongst other diseases. We created WhatsApp groups that served as a convergence space for the health team. We also offered health consultations and feedback via telephone to reduce in-person contact. Our counseling team provided individual support to clients through tele-counseling, therapy group sessions via teleconferencing, and support group sessions via Zoom.

RefugePoint’s Community Navigators helped to refill patients’ drug prescriptions. Our staff received valid prescriptions, transcribed them, and then delivered the essential medications to their clients. Our health team also offered virtual training on the management of chronic diseases and identified vulnerable families to enroll them in the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

RefugePoint’s health services aim to reduce the spread of COVID-19 through community health interventions and concerted efforts within communities and households.

“A Victim of Circumstances” – Authored and Read by Refugees

RefugePoint | June 21, 2021

Black and white fogy landscape with a man vanishing in it

By: Anne-Marie, Galgalo & John

RefugePoint Community Navigators

The poem “A Victim of Circumstances” was co-authored by three Community Navigators from RefugePoint. We are staff members and refugees ourselves, working in the communities around Nairobi where our refugee clients live. We hail from Rwanda, Ethiopia, and DR Congo. Our group’s diversity made for a variety of perspectives about refugee experiences and circumstances.

The inspiration to write and record this poem was rooted in the desire to challenge misconceptions about refugees. Unfortunately, our experiences have proven that these misconceptions often lead to disrespect and dehumanizing behavior towards refugees. Many people perceive refugees as mere passive receivers or consumers of services, even labeling us as lazy people due to the nature of our circumstances.

The poem defines in simple terms: who a refugee is, the reasons for their flight, challenges, abilities, capabilities, needs, and interventions. It calls for access to proper services to help refugees reclaim their human dignity in the countries of asylum.

We wanted to share a message of hope with vulnerable refugees and the global community. We emphasize that refugees are simply victims of circumstance; however, they can contribute to social change and development like anyone else. This message was reinforced by highlighting some prominent figures who have been refugees in their lifetime yet emerged as great leaders.

We decided to record our poem to bring to life the emotions, feelings, and voices of thousands of refugees around the globe represented in this simple piece of art.

We hope that this poem helps refugees who have lost hope, that it revives their dreams for a better future, and they realize the miles they have walked and how much further they can reach. We would like to see organizations, governments, and host communities around the globe come together to appreciate the resilience of refugees. We wish that they join efforts to create a peaceful, supportive, accommodative, and considerate environment—a new home away from home for these victims of circumstances to achieve self-actualization in their countries of asylum.

As Community Navigators at RefugePoint, we support the organization in a number of different capacities. This includes facilitating communication as needed between RefugePoint and its clients through language interpretation and translation and information dissemination to the office and the community. Community Navigators deliver prescribed medication to refugees, conduct home visits for needs assessments, and refer clients to external partners as well as RefugePoint services. Community Navigators share health information and actively participate in community mobilization. In addition, we guide RefugePoint staff in the community while visiting refugee clients at home. We hope that you enjoy our poem and find inspiration to support the world’s most at-risk refugees.

By: Anne-Marie, Galgalo & John

RefugePoint Community Navigators

The poem “A Victim of Circumstances” was co-authored by three Community Navigators from RefugePoint. We are staff members and refugees ourselves, working in the communities around Nairobi where our refugee clients live. We hail from Rwanda, Ethiopia, and DR Congo. Our group’s diversity made for a variety of perspectives about refugee experiences and circumstances.

The inspiration to write and record this poem was rooted in the desire to challenge misconceptions about refugees. Unfortunately, our experiences have proven that these misconceptions often lead to disrespect and dehumanizing behavior towards refugees. Many people perceive refugees as mere passive receivers or consumers of services, even labeling us as lazy people due to the nature of our circumstances.

The poem defines in simple terms: who a refugee is, the reasons for their flight, challenges, abilities, capabilities, needs, and interventions. It calls for access to proper services to help refugees reclaim their human dignity in the countries of asylum.

We wanted to share a message of hope with vulnerable refugees and the global community. We emphasize that refugees are simply victims of circumstance; however, they can contribute to social change and development like anyone else. This message was reinforced by highlighting some prominent figures who have been refugees in their lifetime yet emerged as great leaders.

We decided to record our poem to bring to life the emotions, feelings, and voices of thousands of refugees around the globe represented in this simple piece of art.

We hope that this poem helps refugees who have lost hope, that it revives their dreams for a better future, and they realize the miles they have walked and how much further they can reach. We would like to see organizations, governments, and host communities around the globe come together to appreciate the resilience of refugees. We wish that they join efforts to create a peaceful, supportive, accommodative, and considerate environment—a new home away from home for these victims of circumstances to achieve self-actualization in their countries of asylum.

As Community Navigators at RefugePoint, we support the organization in a number of different capacities. This includes facilitating communication as needed between RefugePoint and its clients through language interpretation and translation and information dissemination to the office and the community. Community Navigators deliver prescribed medication to refugees, conduct home visits for needs assessments, and refer clients to external partners as well as RefugePoint services. Community Navigators share health information and actively participate in community mobilization. In addition, we guide RefugePoint staff in the community while visiting refugee clients at home. We hope that you enjoy our poem and find inspiration to support the world’s most at-risk refugees.

Preserving the Humanitarian Nature of Resettlement – A New Report by RefugePoint

RefugePoint | June 17, 2021

Read the full report here.

Or read the 2-page executive summary here.

The past few years have taken a heavy toll on refugee resettlement. The total number of refugees resettled worldwide dropped from a high of 163,000 in 2016 to a low of 40,000 in 2020, primarily due to the contraction of the U.S. resettlement program under the Trump administration followed by the COVID pandemic. The situation is now more hopeful in light of the Biden administration’s intention to restore the United States’ welcoming posture towards refugees in need of protection.

Ultimately, resettlement will remain a solution that benefits a minority of refugees. Of the 26 million refugees in the world, only a small fraction will have the opportunity to resettle. Historically that fraction has been less than 1% per year. With so few opportunities to spread around, it is imperative that they be reserved for the refugees who need them most.

The process of conducting triage of refugee populations to determine eligibility for resettlement and ensuring that the necessary processing infrastructure is available in the right locations is no small feat. To add to that high-wire act, there is often a mismatch between the profiles of the refugees in need of resettlement and the selection criteria applied by receiving countries.

UNHCR has the unenviable task of attempting to match resettlement needs, processing capacity, available quotas, and the political will of hosting countries. It can feel like aligning stars to try to make it all work. Inevitably, there are gaps, with some populations and locations benefitting more from resettlement than others.

Photo by: Nancy Farese

RefugePoint works on the identification and referral side of the resettlement process in host countries, primarily focused on Africa. In that capacity, we have been conducting detailed data analysis on resettlement from the African continent annually for many years, comparing UNHCR’s projected needs and actual submissions from each country of asylum. We’ve found this analysis useful in identifying locations that need additional resettlement capacity, helping us determine where to focus our resources to be most impactful.

With our new report, “Preserving the Humanitarian Nature of Resettlement,” we expand the data analysis beyond Africa to explore the potential global benefits of such an analysis, and are pleased to share the findings with the broader resettlement community. For example, we found that, over the past three years, only one-third of 1% of refugees have been submitted for resettlement annually. Compared to projected needs, submissions have reached only 5% of the global need, and unevenly so across geographies and populations. As an example, a refugee in need of resettlement in Ecuador is 1,000 times more likely to be referred for resettlement than a refugee with similar need in South Sudan.

It is our view that regularly engaging in such analysis and dialogue could prove beneficial to the global resettlement system to enhance collective planning. It might be used to inform program and advocacy priorities as it reveals locations where supplemental staff capacity and additional quotas are required to meet the projected needs. It may also highlight locations where diplomatic interventions are needed to overcome impediments to resettlement, and could help substantiate appeals for government and philanthropic funding.

The report offers a set of recommendations for all resettlement stakeholders designed to better ensure that refugees who need it have more equitable access to resettlement. As resettlement numbers are set to grow once again, it will be important to ensure that resettlement opportunities are not limited to certain locations but are distributed as equitably as possible, thereby meeting the needs outlined by UNHCR.

Read the full report here.

Or read the 2-page executive summary here.

The past few years have taken a heavy toll on refugee resettlement. The total number of refugees resettled worldwide dropped from a high of 163,000 in 2016 to a low of 40,000 in 2020, primarily due to the contraction of the U.S. resettlement program under the Trump administration followed by the COVID pandemic. The situation is now more hopeful in light of the Biden administration’s intention to restore the United States’ welcoming posture towards refugees in need of protection.

Ultimately, resettlement will remain a solution that benefits a minority of refugees. Of the 26 million refugees in the world, only a small fraction will have the opportunity to resettle. Historically that fraction has been less than 1% per year. With so few opportunities to spread around, it is imperative that they be reserved for the refugees who need them most.

The process of conducting triage of refugee populations to determine eligibility for resettlement and ensuring that the necessary processing infrastructure is available in the right locations is no small feat. To add to that high-wire act, there is often a mismatch between the profiles of the refugees in need of resettlement and the selection criteria applied by receiving countries.

UNHCR has the unenviable task of attempting to match resettlement needs, processing capacity, available quotas, and the political will of hosting countries. It can feel like aligning stars to try to make it all work. Inevitably, there are gaps, with some populations and locations benefitting more from resettlement than others.

Photo by: Nancy Farese

RefugePoint works on the identification and referral side of the resettlement process in host countries, primarily focused on Africa. In that capacity, we have been conducting detailed data analysis on resettlement from the African continent annually for many years, comparing UNHCR’s projected needs and actual submissions from each country of asylum. We’ve found this analysis useful in identifying locations that need additional resettlement capacity, helping us determine where to focus our resources to be most impactful.

With our new report, “Preserving the Humanitarian Nature of Resettlement,” we expand the data analysis beyond Africa to explore the potential global benefits of such an analysis, and are pleased to share the findings with the broader resettlement community. For example, we found that, over the past three years, only one-third of 1% of refugees have been submitted for resettlement annually. Compared to projected needs, submissions have reached only 5% of the global need, and unevenly so across geographies and populations. As an example, a refugee in need of resettlement in Ecuador is 1,000 times more likely to be referred for resettlement than a refugee with similar need in South Sudan.

It is our view that regularly engaging in such analysis and dialogue could prove beneficial to the global resettlement system to enhance collective planning. It might be used to inform program and advocacy priorities as it reveals locations where supplemental staff capacity and additional quotas are required to meet the projected needs. It may also highlight locations where diplomatic interventions are needed to overcome impediments to resettlement, and could help substantiate appeals for government and philanthropic funding.

The report offers a set of recommendations for all resettlement stakeholders designed to better ensure that refugees who need it have more equitable access to resettlement. As resettlement numbers are set to grow once again, it will be important to ensure that resettlement opportunities are not limited to certain locations but are distributed as equitably as possible, thereby meeting the needs outlined by UNHCR.

DJ Montana257

RefugePoint | June 15, 2021

From a very young age, DJ Montana* always knew that he wanted to become a DJ—he describes music as something in his blood. Unfortunately, in 2015, war broke out in his home country of Burundi, and DJ Montana was forced to flee. He ended up in Nairobi, Kenya, and refused to give up on his dream of becoming a DJ but needed support to learn critical skills to help him achieve that goal. So, in 2019, RefugePoint’s Education team connected with DJ Montana and began supporting him to attend MixxMasters Studio Academy through our vocational training program. RefugePoint also provided DJ Montana with a laptop, headphones, and the bus fare he needed to get to and from the studio.

At the Academy, DJ Montana learned beat mapping, video editing, and creating mixes. Thanks to this training, he now feels confident to use the skills he learned to work as a DJ. “Now I have something I can say that I have studied and I have experience in. I can work and live life like anyone else.”

Watch our interview with DJ Montana to learn more about his incredible story.

*Name changed to protect his privacy

From a very young age, DJ Montana* always knew that he wanted to become a DJ—he describes music as something in his blood. Unfortunately, in 2015, war broke out in his home country of Burundi, and DJ Montana was forced to flee. He ended up in Nairobi, Kenya, and refused to give up on his dream of becoming a DJ but needed support to learn critical skills to help him achieve that goal. So, in 2019, RefugePoint’s Education team connected with DJ Montana and began supporting him to attend MixxMasters Studio Academy through our vocational training program. RefugePoint also provided DJ Montana with a laptop, headphones, and the bus fare he needed to get to and from the studio.

At the Academy, DJ Montana learned beat mapping, video editing, and creating mixes. Thanks to this training, he now feels confident to use the skills he learned to work as a DJ. “Now I have something I can say that I have studied and I have experience in. I can work and live life like anyone else.”

Watch our interview with DJ Montana to learn more about his incredible story.

*Name changed to protect his privacy

Mary

RefugePoint | June 14, 2021

woman shares a light moment with some of her children

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mary, a refugee from South Sudan, supported her family of 15 by running a business selling roasted peanuts and peanut butter to members of her local church. Mary also bartered her products at a community school in order to enroll her children there. The profits from Mary’s peanut business were barely enough to meet her family’s needs, and the added stress of supporting her family during the pandemic caused Mary’s health to deteriorate significantly.

At this critical point in Mary’s life, RefugePoint began providing Mary and her family with food support, rent assistance, and education support. At the same time, we helped Mary to sign up for a National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) card so that she could access the urgent medical treatment that she needed.

In January 2021, Mary received a smartphone from RefugePoint, and she began using the phone to market her peanut products via WhatsApp by sharing advertisements that her son designed for her.

“A lot has changed in my life. I have hope now. This support has given me strength, and we all as a family feel that there is joy here. Love has been shown to this family, and because of it, we shall carry on,” Mary shared with us when we visited her at her home.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mary, a refugee from South Sudan, supported her family of 15 by running a business selling roasted peanuts and peanut butter to members of her local church. Mary also bartered her products at a community school in order to enroll her children there. The profits from Mary’s peanut business were barely enough to meet her family’s needs, and the added stress of supporting her family during the pandemic caused Mary’s health to deteriorate significantly.

At this critical point in Mary’s life, RefugePoint began providing Mary and her family with food support, rent assistance, and education support. At the same time, we helped Mary to sign up for a National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) card so that she could access the urgent medical treatment that she needed.

In January 2021, Mary received a smartphone from RefugePoint, and she began using the phone to market her peanut products via WhatsApp by sharing advertisements that her son designed for her.

“A lot has changed in my life. I have hope now. This support has given me strength, and we all as a family feel that there is joy here. Love has been shown to this family, and because of it, we shall carry on,” Mary shared with us when we visited her at her home.

Patrick

RefugePoint | June 14, 2021

man takes photos of some of the second-hand clothes

In 2015, at the age of 14, Patrick and his family were forced to flee their home in Congo and sought safety in Nairobi, Kenya. Patrick’s parents struggled to provide for the family by selling mobile phone accessories and milk. In 2017, Patrick’s mother passed away, leaving his father to support the family. Patrick’s father moved to a city three hours outside of Nairobi to search for better work opportunities. Initially, he sent Patrick and his siblings $20 to $30 a month to cover their essential needs, but shortly after he left Nairobi he abruptly stopped sending money.

Patrick’s eldest brother, Gustav, attempted to support his siblings but struggled to do so and ended up abandoning the family. Grace, Patrick’s older sister, suffered from the trauma she’d experienced during their flight from Congo and was unable to work. Patrick was forced to start working odd jobs in the neighborhood in order to support Grace and his other siblings, Stella and Mike. Having learned how to shave hair from his brother Gustav, he began working at a nearby barbershop, but his income was not sufficient enough to support the entire family.

In 2019, Antoinette, the RefugePoint Community Navigator who works in Patrick’s neighborhood in Nairobi, identified Patrick and his family as refugees in need of urgent assistance. The household began receiving food and rent assistance, and Patrick completed RefugePoint’s Business Development Skills training and received a small business grant of $300 to launch a business selling second-hand clothes in his neighborhood.

After running the business for a short while, Patrick had enough income to re-enroll his brother Mike into secondary school, where he’d previously been banned due to the inability to pay school fees. “If someone is out of school and isn’t working, it’s very easy for their life to be ruined,” Patrick told us. Recently, when business slowed down a bit, Patrick had to close down the stall where he’d been running his business, as he was unable to cover the rent for the stall. Patrick is now using a smartphone that RefugePoint provided him to sell second-hand clothes online by sharing photos of the items on his WhatsApp and Facebook profiles. This also allows Patrick to take more shifts at the barbershop he works at in his neighborhood.

Despite his resilience, Patrick barely manages to hold back a stream of tears when he speaks about his family’s future. Patrick is happy that he is able to send his brother to school, and has dreams of pursuing his own educational goals in the future. “I want to be able to study and make a better future for myself and my family,” he shared with us.

In 2015, at the age of 14, Patrick and his family were forced to flee their home in Congo and sought safety in Nairobi, Kenya. Patrick’s parents struggled to provide for the family by selling mobile phone accessories and milk. In 2017, Patrick’s mother passed away, leaving his father to support the family. Patrick’s father moved to a city three hours outside of Nairobi to search for better work opportunities. Initially, he sent Patrick and his siblings $20 to $30 a month to cover their essential needs, but shortly after he left Nairobi he abruptly stopped sending money.

Patrick’s eldest brother, Gustav, attempted to support his siblings but struggled to do so and ended up abandoning the family. Grace, Patrick’s older sister, suffered from the trauma she’d experienced during their flight from Congo and was unable to work. Patrick was forced to start working odd jobs in the neighborhood in order to support Grace and his other siblings, Stella and Mike. Having learned how to shave hair from his brother Gustav, he began working at a nearby barbershop, but his income was not sufficient enough to support the entire family.

In 2019, Antoinette, the RefugePoint Community Navigator who works in Patrick’s neighborhood in Nairobi, identified Patrick and his family as refugees in need of urgent assistance. The household began receiving food and rent assistance, and Patrick completed RefugePoint’s Business Development Skills training and received a small business grant of $300 to launch a business selling second-hand clothes in his neighborhood.

After running the business for a short while, Patrick had enough income to re-enroll his brother Mike into secondary school, where he’d previously been banned due to the inability to pay school fees. “If someone is out of school and isn’t working, it’s very easy for their life to be ruined,” Patrick told us. Recently, when business slowed down a bit, Patrick had to close down the stall where he’d been running his business, as he was unable to cover the rent for the stall. Patrick is now using a smartphone that RefugePoint provided him to sell second-hand clothes online by sharing photos of the items on his WhatsApp and Facebook profiles. This also allows Patrick to take more shifts at the barbershop he works at in his neighborhood.

Despite his resilience, Patrick barely manages to hold back a stream of tears when he speaks about his family’s future. Patrick is happy that he is able to send his brother to school, and has dreams of pursuing his own educational goals in the future. “I want to be able to study and make a better future for myself and my family,” he shared with us.

Balolwa

RefugePoint | May 24, 2021

woman poses next to her stall in Githurai market

In February 2020, Balolwa, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, completed RefugePoint’s Business Development Skills training and received a small grant to expand her business selling tomatoes. Balolwa used the grant to add onions and garlic to her vegetable stand. Her business was doing well, but in May 2020, all of Balolwa’s vegetables were stolen at the market. Unfortunately, many of our clients reported an increase in theft and insecurity as a result of the pandemic. Since Balolwa had put aside savings, she was able to use that money to restart her business and had a lockable storage box built to prevent future theft.

Despite Balolwa’s resilience and business acumen, her sales dropped during the pandemic, as they did for businesses worldwide. In May 2020, Balolwa began receiving food support from RefugePoint so that she could focus on keeping her business afloat.

“When I started receiving food support, I saw improvements in my family. The business was meager during the pandemic. It would take me two to three times longer than usual to sell even one crate of tomatoes, but I wasn’t worried because I knew that at least we had food in the house. In the future, I see my life will be much better than it used to be. I have hope now,” Balolwa told us, as she turned to help a customer at her vegetable stand.

In February 2020, Balolwa, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, completed RefugePoint’s Business Development Skills training and received a small grant to expand her business selling tomatoes. Balolwa used the grant to add onions and garlic to her vegetable stand. Her business was doing well, but in May 2020, all of Balolwa’s vegetables were stolen at the market. Unfortunately, many of our clients reported an increase in theft and insecurity as a result of the pandemic. Since Balolwa had put aside savings, she was able to use that money to restart her business and had a lockable storage box built to prevent future theft.

Despite Balolwa’s resilience and business acumen, her sales dropped during the pandemic, as they did for businesses worldwide. In May 2020, Balolwa began receiving food support from RefugePoint so that she could focus on keeping her business afloat.

“When I started receiving food support, I saw improvements in my family. The business was meager during the pandemic. It would take me two to three times longer than usual to sell even one crate of tomatoes, but I wasn’t worried because I knew that at least we had food in the house. In the future, I see my life will be much better than it used to be. I have hope now,” Balolwa told us, as she turned to help a customer at her vegetable stand.

Beti

RefugePoint | May 24, 2021

woman poses for a photo in her kitchen with some dry grain

Before the COVID-19 pandemic rocked businesses worldwide, Beti, a refugee from Congo, was already struggling to support her family of four by selling fruit. Beti was recovering from injuries that she’d sustained when she fled to Nairobi, Kenya, from Congo, and was also dealing with the loss of her husband.

Beti’s eldest child, a 15-year-old boy, began to sell melons to support the family, which meant that he could no longer pursue his education. Despite her son’s efforts to help support the family, Beti and her children would often go to bed without a meal. In August 2020, RefugePoint began supporting Beti’s family with food and rent assistance and also helped to enroll the family with the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) so that Beti could access the urgent medical treatment that she needed for her injuries.

Beti told us that since receiving RefugePoint support, her life has changed. Her family now eats three meals a day, and her children are happy. Her son was able to return to school and can now focus on his studies. Beti joined a support group to get help with coping with the loss of her husband. She also completed RefugePoint’s Business Development Skills training and received a start-up grant to revive her business.

“Right now, I feel proud and honored, even when I’m with other people. I have a place I can call home that RefugePoint is helping me to pay for. I believe that in the future, our lives will change. I have hope that things will change every day; it won’t ever be the same again,” Beti told us.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic rocked businesses worldwide, Beti, a refugee from Congo, was already struggling to support her family of four by selling fruit. Beti was recovering from injuries that she’d sustained when she fled to Nairobi, Kenya, from Congo, and was also dealing with the loss of her husband.

Beti’s eldest child, a 15-year-old boy, began to sell melons to support the family, which meant that he could no longer pursue his education. Despite her son’s efforts to help support the family, Beti and her children would often go to bed without a meal. In August 2020, RefugePoint began supporting Beti’s family with food and rent assistance and also helped to enroll the family with the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) so that Beti could access the urgent medical treatment that she needed for her injuries.

Beti told us that since receiving RefugePoint support, her life has changed. Her family now eats three meals a day, and her children are happy. Her son was able to return to school and can now focus on his studies. Beti joined a support group to get help with coping with the loss of her husband. She also completed RefugePoint’s Business Development Skills training and received a start-up grant to revive her business.

“Right now, I feel proud and honored, even when I’m with other people. I have a place I can call home that RefugePoint is helping me to pay for. I believe that in the future, our lives will change. I have hope that things will change every day; it won’t ever be the same again,” Beti told us.

RefugePoint’s 20th Anniversary Gala

RefugePoint’s
20th Anniversary Gala