RefugePoint, Author at RefugePoint

Dieudonne

RefugePoint | December 12, 2023

man on a motorcycle with a yellow helmet

Most days, Dieudonne wakes up early to begin shuttling passengers around the streets of Nairobi on his motorcycle. To provide for his family, he works as a “boda boda” driver (a motorcycle taxi). Today, he is able to pay rent, buy groceries, and pay for children’s school fees with his earnings as a boda boda driver. But that wasn’t always the case.

As a refugee living in Kenya with a family of nine, meeting his family’s basic needs was challenging. Dieudonne and his wife were forced to flee their home in Burundi when war broke out. “Many people were dying. That is why I left,” he told us. Once it became too dangerous to stay in their home, they left the lives they knew behind and made the journey to Nairobi, Kenya.

At home in Burundi, Dieudonne worked for a non-profit organization and had no problems supporting his family. “I had a good life in Burundi. I was working in an organization, I had everything. So when I got here in Kenya, life became difficult because when you get here, first, you are a refugee,” he told us. Without citizenship, it was nearly impossible for them to find the type of work they did at home, so the couple tried various jobs to support their family.

For Dieudonne and his family to reach a point of self-reliance, where they could meet their basic needs, RefugePoint first provided services that helped them find safety and stability, such as food and rent. “Lilian (RefugePoint staff) came and we spoke with her. She listened to us. They supported our family with education and counseling. The kids started eating well. We were given lots of food and the kids had enough.”

Next, Dieudonne partnered with RefugePoint’s livelihoods team and decided he could make a good living as a boda boda driver. With additional business training and a small business grant, Dieudonne was able to purchase a motorcycle, as opposed to leasing one. Soon, he began saving his daily earnings, allowing their family to become self-reliant.

“We can pay school fees, we are living well, we can pay rent. For that we are very happy.”

Dieudonne with his family. Photo: Chris Jensen, Nairobi

Most days, Dieudonne wakes up early to begin shuttling passengers around the streets of Nairobi on his motorcycle. To provide for his family, he works as a “boda boda” driver (a motorcycle taxi). Today, he is able to pay rent, buy groceries, and pay for children’s school fees with his earnings as a boda boda driver. But that wasn’t always the case.

As a refugee living in Kenya with a family of nine, meeting his family’s basic needs was challenging. Dieudonne and his wife were forced to flee their home in Burundi when war broke out. “Many people were dying. That is why I left,” he told us. Once it became too dangerous to stay in their home, they left the lives they knew behind and made the journey to Nairobi, Kenya.

At home in Burundi, Dieudonne worked for a non-profit organization and had no problems supporting his family. “I had a good life in Burundi. I was working in an organization, I had everything. So when I got here in Kenya, life became difficult because when you get here, first, you are a refugee,” he told us. Without citizenship, it was nearly impossible for them to find the type of work they did at home, so the couple tried various jobs to support their family.

For Dieudonne and his family to reach a point of self-reliance, where they could meet their basic needs, RefugePoint first provided services that helped them find safety and stability, such as food and rent. “Lilian (RefugePoint staff) came and we spoke with her. She listened to us. They supported our family with education and counseling. The kids started eating well. We were given lots of food and the kids had enough.”

Next, Dieudonne partnered with RefugePoint’s livelihoods team and decided he could make a good living as a boda boda driver. With additional business training and a small business grant, Dieudonne was able to purchase a motorcycle, as opposed to leasing one. Soon, he began saving his daily earnings, allowing their family to become self-reliant.

“We can pay school fees, we are living well, we can pay rent. For that we are very happy.”

Dieudonne with his family. Photo: Chris Jensen, Nairobi

The 2023 Global Refugee Forum: Why We’re There

RefugePoint | December 12, 2023

By Martin Anderson, Geneva Representative

For media inquiries, please contact Alexis Felder at felder@refugepoint.org.

In 2018, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the Global Compact on Refugees, the most significant piece of refugee-related policy in more than 50 years. It led to the creation of the Global Refugee Forum (GRF), a quadrennial meeting of senior humanitarian stakeholders, including heads of state, ministers, non-profit and corporate executives, refugee leaders, researchers, and more.

The first GRF was in 2019. Though it was a significant event at the time, it now seems more like a dress rehearsal for the mammoth undertaking that is the 2023 GRF, happening from December 13-15 in Geneva. In addition to the main program of plenary statements, pledge announcements, parallel high-level events, and a speakers’ corner, there are hundreds of additional “linked events” happening all over town. This is all in addition to the main purpose of the GRF, which is to mobilize stakeholders to make pledges in support of the wide range of activities related to refugee response.

All of the mobilization for the GRF was done through a range of multistakeholder initiatives, and RefugePoint has played a leadership role in every one of these that is important to our work, including: self-reliance in host countries, labor mobility, family reunification, and resettlement.

Self-Reliance

The Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative (RSRI), hosted by RefugePoint, has been the driving force behind one of the most transformational multistakeholder pledges to emerge at this year’s GRF, namely the Economic Inclusion and Social Protection Pledge. It has been joined by dozens of the world’s leading organizations, including several governments, multiple UN organizations, major global coalitions, development actors, and others.

We have planned two distinct but complementary official parallel high-level events at the GRF, one on social protection and one on economic inclusion, which will be moderated by Nasra Ismail, a RefugePoint Board Member. In addition, befitting the leadership role the RSRI has played, Kari Diener, Executive Director of the RSRI, will announce the overall pledge in the plenary session of the GRF on the afternoon of the first day, a timeslot reserved for only the most impactful pledges.

Labor Mobility

The Global Task Force on Labor Mobility has led planning for all things to do with labor mobility at the GRF, and RefugePoint has been a part of the small, core team of stakeholders leading that effort, alongside the governments of Canada, Australia, Talent Beyond Boundaries, and UNHCR. We have helped to mobilize other actors to pledge in support of refugee labor mobility; we have helped to plan the official parallel high-level event on labor mobility at the GRF; and we have played a central role in planning an evening reception on labor mobility, in particular by making important connections with the World Economic Forum and the business community, the target audience for the event. Ms. Ismail will moderate both of these events, and Sasha Chanoff, RefugePoint’s CEO, will speak at them, alongside government ministers, business leaders, and senior officials from the UN and other organizations.

Family Reunification

The multistakeholder initiative on refugee family reunification, responsible for all things related to family reunification at the GRF, has been led by the Global Family Reunification Network. RefugePoint, by virtue of being one of the seven organizations to sit on the network’s Advisory Group and also the sponsor of its Secretariat position within UNHCR, has always been a prominent voice within the network, and that has been no different in the context of the GRF.

We have done much to mobilize stakeholders to join the multistakeholder pledge on family reunification, including acting as co-leads for one of the pledge pillars and hosting the virtual pledge launch event back in October, at which senior leaders from the various pledging organizations announced their enthusiasm to join the pledge. In addition, we have helped to plan an evening reception on family reunification at the GRF, which will take place at the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum and will highlight the urgency and importance of refugee family reunification, as well as spotlighting several of the pledges that have been made to advance this cause. We are proud that Geeta Rahimi, a former refugee from Afghanistan and now refugee resettlement professional in the United States, has joined our delegation and will be delivering remarks in the speakers’ corner about her experience with family separation and reunification. Finally, in recognition of the leadership role we have played, RefugePoint has been asked to announce the multistakeholder pledge on family reunification in the plenary session of the GRF, representing all of the many entities globally who have come together in support of refugee family reunification at the GRF.

Resettlement

Our role in elevating refugee resettlement at the GRF has been, arguably, even more critical than for the other initiatives. As recently as the summer, when planning for self-reliance, labor mobility, and family reunification was well underway, there was no similar initiative working on resettlement for the GRF. RefugePoint was instrumental in pointing out this gap and rallying stakeholders to fill it, leading to the creation of the Friends of Resettlement initiative, which has been co-chaired by Australia, RefugePoint, and UNHCR.

Despite the late start, we managed to mobilize dozens of stakeholders to make pledges on refugee resettlement, including the whole range of actors working on the topic. These will be highlighted at the official parallel high-level on resettlement at the GRF, where Sasha will be among the panelists.

Beyond the leadership role we have played in these core features of the GRF, RefugePoint is also participating in other linked events organized by other partners. For instance, Jacob Bonyo, RefugePoint’s Kenya Country Director, is an expert speaker on a panel on refugee self-reliance and durable solutions in East Africa, alongside Mohamed Hassan, a refugee researcher and member of the RSRI’s delegation to the GRF. The linked event is being co-hosted by the RSRI, at the Permanent Mission of Denmark.

Simar Singh, RefugePoint’s Chief Program Officer, will be speaking at a linked event on How Refugee-Led Entities are Advancing Global Solutions. The event, which will take place at the Geneva Impact Hub, is being hosted by several different international networks of refugee-led organizations (RLO), and its theme has connections to RefugePoint’s recent efforts to develop partnerships with RLOs in Kenya and our plans to do so elsewhere through our work on resettlement, family reunification, and labor mobility.

In sum, taking into account all of the roles described above and the months of leadership that went into each of them, RefugePoint will be among the most prominent voices at this year’s GRF. This is of course a beginning and not an end, with much work to be done to capitalize on the many new initiatives and partnerships that have emerged, but this week, while we look ahead, we will also celebrate all that we have achieved this year.

By Martin Anderson, Geneva Representative

For media inquiries, please contact Alexis Felder at felder@refugepoint.org.

In 2018, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the Global Compact on Refugees, the most significant piece of refugee-related policy in more than 50 years. It led to the creation of the Global Refugee Forum (GRF), a quadrennial meeting of senior humanitarian stakeholders, including heads of state, ministers, non-profit and corporate executives, refugee leaders, researchers, and more.

The first GRF was in 2019. Though it was a significant event at the time, it now seems more like a dress rehearsal for the mammoth undertaking that is the 2023 GRF, happening from December 13-15 in Geneva. In addition to the main program of plenary statements, pledge announcements, parallel high-level events, and a speakers’ corner, there are hundreds of additional “linked events” happening all over town. This is all in addition to the main purpose of the GRF, which is to mobilize stakeholders to make pledges in support of the wide range of activities related to refugee response.

All of the mobilization for the GRF was done through a range of multistakeholder initiatives, and RefugePoint has played a leadership role in every one of these that is important to our work, including: self-reliance in host countries, labor mobility, family reunification, and resettlement.

Self-Reliance

The Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative (RSRI), hosted by RefugePoint, has been the driving force behind one of the most transformational multistakeholder pledges to emerge at this year’s GRF, namely the Economic Inclusion and Social Protection Pledge. It has been joined by dozens of the world’s leading organizations, including several governments, multiple UN organizations, major global coalitions, development actors, and others.

We have planned two distinct but complementary official parallel high-level events at the GRF, one on social protection and one on economic inclusion, which will be moderated by Nasra Ismail, a RefugePoint Board Member. In addition, befitting the leadership role the RSRI has played, Kari Diener, Executive Director of the RSRI, will announce the overall pledge in the plenary session of the GRF on the afternoon of the first day, a timeslot reserved for only the most impactful pledges.

Labor Mobility

The Global Task Force on Labor Mobility has led planning for all things to do with labor mobility at the GRF, and RefugePoint has been a part of the small, core team of stakeholders leading that effort, alongside the governments of Canada, Australia, Talent Beyond Boundaries, and UNHCR. We have helped to mobilize other actors to pledge in support of refugee labor mobility; we have helped to plan the official parallel high-level event on labor mobility at the GRF; and we have played a central role in planning an evening reception on labor mobility, in particular by making important connections with the World Economic Forum and the business community, the target audience for the event. Ms. Ismail will moderate both of these events, and Sasha Chanoff, RefugePoint’s CEO, will speak at them, alongside government ministers, business leaders, and senior officials from the UN and other organizations.

Family Reunification

The multistakeholder initiative on refugee family reunification, responsible for all things related to family reunification at the GRF, has been led by the Global Family Reunification Network. RefugePoint, by virtue of being one of the seven organizations to sit on the network’s Advisory Group and also the sponsor of its Secretariat position within UNHCR, has always been a prominent voice within the network, and that has been no different in the context of the GRF.

We have done much to mobilize stakeholders to join the multistakeholder pledge on family reunification, including acting as co-leads for one of the pledge pillars and hosting the virtual pledge launch event back in October, at which senior leaders from the various pledging organizations announced their enthusiasm to join the pledge. In addition, we have helped to plan an evening reception on family reunification at the GRF, which will take place at the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum and will highlight the urgency and importance of refugee family reunification, as well as spotlighting several of the pledges that have been made to advance this cause. We are proud that Geeta Rahimi, a former refugee from Afghanistan and now refugee resettlement professional in the United States, has joined our delegation and will be delivering remarks in the speakers’ corner about her experience with family separation and reunification. Finally, in recognition of the leadership role we have played, RefugePoint has been asked to announce the multistakeholder pledge on family reunification in the plenary session of the GRF, representing all of the many entities globally who have come together in support of refugee family reunification at the GRF.

Resettlement

Our role in elevating refugee resettlement at the GRF has been, arguably, even more critical than for the other initiatives. As recently as the summer, when planning for self-reliance, labor mobility, and family reunification was well underway, there was no similar initiative working on resettlement for the GRF. RefugePoint was instrumental in pointing out this gap and rallying stakeholders to fill it, leading to the creation of the Friends of Resettlement initiative, which has been co-chaired by Australia, RefugePoint, and UNHCR.

Despite the late start, we managed to mobilize dozens of stakeholders to make pledges on refugee resettlement, including the whole range of actors working on the topic. These will be highlighted at the official parallel high-level on resettlement at the GRF, where Sasha will be among the panelists.

Beyond the leadership role we have played in these core features of the GRF, RefugePoint is also participating in other linked events organized by other partners. For instance, Jacob Bonyo, RefugePoint’s Kenya Country Director, is an expert speaker on a panel on refugee self-reliance and durable solutions in East Africa, alongside Mohamed Hassan, a refugee researcher and member of the RSRI’s delegation to the GRF. The linked event is being co-hosted by the RSRI, at the Permanent Mission of Denmark.

Simar Singh, RefugePoint’s Chief Program Officer, will be speaking at a linked event on How Refugee-Led Entities are Advancing Global Solutions. The event, which will take place at the Geneva Impact Hub, is being hosted by several different international networks of refugee-led organizations (RLO), and its theme has connections to RefugePoint’s recent efforts to develop partnerships with RLOs in Kenya and our plans to do so elsewhere through our work on resettlement, family reunification, and labor mobility.

In sum, taking into account all of the roles described above and the months of leadership that went into each of them, RefugePoint will be among the most prominent voices at this year’s GRF. This is of course a beginning and not an end, with much work to be done to capitalize on the many new initiatives and partnerships that have emerged, but this week, while we look ahead, we will also celebrate all that we have achieved this year.

RefugePoint’s Leadership Role at the Global Refugee Forum

RefugePoint | December 11, 2023

By Ali Pappavaselio, RefugePoint

For media inquiries, please contact Alexis Felder at felder@refugepoint.org.

The Global Refugee Forum (GRF), a quadrennial event taking place from December 13-15 of this year, is the main venue to drive and review progress towards the objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees, which include:

Easing pressures on host countries
Strengthening refugee self-reliance*
Increasing access to third-country solutions such as resettlement, family reunification, labor, mobility, and other pathways*
Supporting conditions in countries of origin that allow refugees to return home safely

RefugePoint is playing a leadership role in four multistakeholder pledges relating to two of these objectives: refugee self-reliance and third-country solutions (starred above). Additionally, RefugePoint leadership will be speaking in several official events at the GRF as well as formally announcing the multistakeholder pledges on family reunification and on economic inclusion and social protection, an honor reserved for the leaders in each of these areas.

Why is RefugePoint So Heavily Involved in the Global Refugee Forum?

The goals of the Global Refugee Forum align with RefugePoint’s strong agency-wide commitment to systems change. RefugePoint is leading the development of several multistakeholder pledges that are aligned with our programmatic priorities. Our engagement and investment in global initiatives such as the Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative and the Global Family Reunification Network position us well to provide leadership and convene others to take collective action on these themes.

RefugePoint’s commitment to refugee-centeredness has informed much of our involvement in the 2023 GRF. RefugePoint and the Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative are proud to have refugees and former refugees join our delegations to the GRF, and we are also supporting these colleagues as they have assumed prominent roles at the GRF.

See below for a comprehensive list of RefugePoint’s involvement in the events of the 2023 Global Refugee Forum.

Refugee Self-Reliance

Multistakeholder Pledge Leadership: The Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative, hosted by RefugePoint, is the lead coordinator in the Multistakeholder pledge on economic inclusion and social protection, in collaboration with the governments of Denmark, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands, and United States of America, as well as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Eastern Africa.

In Plenary: Kari Diener, Executive Director of the Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative, will be announcing the pledge in the plenary session.

Parallel High-Level Events: The Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative, and through it RefugePoint, is also helping to plan two high-level side events relating to refugee self-reliance: one on employment and entrepreneurship for refugees and another on social protection for refugees. The event on economic inclusion will be moderated by RefugePoint Board Member and U.S. Enterprise Executive Director of Alight, Nasra Ismail.

Third-Country Solutions

Resettlement

Multistakeholder Pledge Leadership: RefugePoint co-chairs the Friends of Resettlement Initiative (along with the Government of Australia and UNHCR), which has been responsible for developing the Multistakeholder pledge on resettlement.

Parallel High-Level Event: RefugePoint CEO Sasha Chanoff will be speaking at the Parallel High-Level Event on Resettlement, an event RefugePoint has helped to plan.

Family Reunification

Multistakeholder Pledge Leadership: RefugePoint is a member and advisor to the Global Family Reunification Network (FRUN), which leads the Multistakeholder pledge supporting refugee family reunification.

In Plenary: RefugePoint CEO Sasha Chanoff will be formally announcing the Multistakeholder Pledge on Family Reunification in the plenary session.

Speakers Corner: RefugePoint delegate Geeta Rahimi will be delivering remarks in a Speakers Corner focusing on Family Reunification. Geeta is a resettlement professional in the U.S. and the Refugee Congress Delegate for the state of Texas. She will be speaking about her experience of family separation and reunification and noting best practices and recommendations.

Linked Event: In coordination with the FRUN, RefugePoint will be co-hosting an evening reception on family reunification at the Red Cross Museum. The program will feature refugee leaders and senior representatives from UNHCR and the Red Cross and will be an opportunity to highlight some of the contributors to the multistakeholder pledge on family reunification.

Labor Mobility

Multistakeholder Pledge Leadership: RefugePoint is a member of the Global Task Force on Refugee Labor Mobility, which co-leads the Multistakeholder pledge on skills-based complementary pathways.
Parallel High-Level Event: RefugePoint CEO Sasha Chanoff and RefugePoint Board Member Nasra Ismail will speak at a High Level Side Event on Refugee Labor Mobility.
Linked Event: Both Sasha and Nasra will reprise their roles at a high-level evening reception featuring speakers from the whole society, including UN organizations and corporate leaders. Both events work toward RefugePoint’s goal of demonstrating a refugee-centered model for labor mobility for the world and for our partners.

By Ali Pappavaselio, RefugePoint

For media inquiries, please contact Alexis Felder at felder@refugepoint.org.

The Global Refugee Forum (GRF), a quadrennial event taking place from December 13-15 of this year, is the main venue to drive and review progress towards the objectives of the Global Compact on Refugees, which include:

Easing pressures on host countries
Strengthening refugee self-reliance*
Increasing access to third-country solutions such as resettlement, family reunification, labor, mobility, and other pathways*
Supporting conditions in countries of origin that allow refugees to return home safely

RefugePoint is playing a leadership role in four multistakeholder pledges relating to two of these objectives: refugee self-reliance and third-country solutions (starred above). Additionally, RefugePoint leadership will be speaking in several official events at the GRF as well as formally announcing the multistakeholder pledges on family reunification and on economic inclusion and social protection, an honor reserved for the leaders in each of these areas.

Why is RefugePoint So Heavily Involved in the Global Refugee Forum?

The goals of the Global Refugee Forum align with RefugePoint’s strong agency-wide commitment to systems change. RefugePoint is leading the development of several multistakeholder pledges that are aligned with our programmatic priorities. Our engagement and investment in global initiatives such as the Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative and the Global Family Reunification Network position us well to provide leadership and convene others to take collective action on these themes.

RefugePoint’s commitment to refugee-centeredness has informed much of our involvement in the 2023 GRF. RefugePoint and the Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative are proud to have refugees and former refugees join our delegations to the GRF, and we are also supporting these colleagues as they have assumed prominent roles at the GRF.

See below for a comprehensive list of RefugePoint’s involvement in the events of the 2023 Global Refugee Forum.

Refugee Self-Reliance

Multistakeholder Pledge Leadership: The Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative, hosted by RefugePoint, is the lead coordinator in the Multistakeholder pledge on economic inclusion and social protection, in collaboration with the governments of Denmark, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands, and United States of America, as well as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in Eastern Africa.

In Plenary: Kari Diener, Executive Director of the Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative, will be announcing the pledge in the plenary session.

Parallel High-Level Events: The Refugee Self-Reliance Initiative, and through it RefugePoint, is also helping to plan two high-level side events relating to refugee self-reliance: one on employment and entrepreneurship for refugees and another on social protection for refugees. The event on economic inclusion will be moderated by RefugePoint Board Member and U.S. Enterprise Executive Director of Alight, Nasra Ismail.

Third-Country Solutions

Resettlement

Multistakeholder Pledge Leadership: RefugePoint co-chairs the Friends of Resettlement Initiative (along with the Government of Australia and UNHCR), which has been responsible for developing the Multistakeholder pledge on resettlement.

Parallel High-Level Event: RefugePoint CEO Sasha Chanoff will be speaking at the Parallel High-Level Event on Resettlement, an event RefugePoint has helped to plan.

Family Reunification

Multistakeholder Pledge Leadership: RefugePoint is a member and advisor to the Global Family Reunification Network (FRUN), which leads the Multistakeholder pledge supporting refugee family reunification.

In Plenary: RefugePoint CEO Sasha Chanoff will be formally announcing the Multistakeholder Pledge on Family Reunification in the plenary session.

Speakers Corner: RefugePoint delegate Geeta Rahimi will be delivering remarks in a Speakers Corner focusing on Family Reunification. Geeta is a resettlement professional in the U.S. and the Refugee Congress Delegate for the state of Texas. She will be speaking about her experience of family separation and reunification and noting best practices and recommendations.

Linked Event: In coordination with the FRUN, RefugePoint will be co-hosting an evening reception on family reunification at the Red Cross Museum. The program will feature refugee leaders and senior representatives from UNHCR and the Red Cross and will be an opportunity to highlight some of the contributors to the multistakeholder pledge on family reunification.

Labor Mobility

Multistakeholder Pledge Leadership: RefugePoint is a member of the Global Task Force on Refugee Labor Mobility, which co-leads the Multistakeholder pledge on skills-based complementary pathways.
Parallel High-Level Event: RefugePoint CEO Sasha Chanoff and RefugePoint Board Member Nasra Ismail will speak at a High Level Side Event on Refugee Labor Mobility.
Linked Event: Both Sasha and Nasra will reprise their roles at a high-level evening reception featuring speakers from the whole society, including UN organizations and corporate leaders. Both events work toward RefugePoint’s goal of demonstrating a refugee-centered model for labor mobility for the world and for our partners.

Jean’s Story, EMPP – 2023

RefugePoint | December 7, 2023

3 people standing in front of a world map

After spending more than 26 years as a refugee in Nairobi, Kenya, Jean, a professional nurse, permanently relocated to Canada through the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) in June 2023. This program connects refugees to job opportunities that allow them to relocate to a safe, new country. RefugePoint partners with the Government of Canada, UNHCR, and Talent Beyond Boundaries to help qualified refugees living in Kenya apply the the EMPP and immigrate to Canada through work-based visas.

In 1996, Jean’s parents were forced to flee their home in Rwanda and sought safety in Kenya, where he was born. Jean completed his primary, secondary, and college studies in Kenya. After completing his nursing education, Jean volunteered as a nurse with Ciheb Kenya and Nairobi Metro, projects under the County Government of Nairobi.

In 2021, Jean learned about the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) through his friend. “After submitting my application to RefugePoint, I received a call that I had been shortlisted as one of the candidates,” Jean shared with us. “RefugePoint supported me in drafting my resume and preparing for the English proficiency tests and job interviews.”. In addition to the interview preparation, RefugePoint assisted Jean with his application to Canada’s Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Department.

RefugePoint is one of the founding members of the Global Task Force on Labor Mobility, which advocates for labor mobility pathways to be refugee-centered and guided by the lived experience of individuals who have participated in these pathways. This project helps to match qualified refugees in Kenya with employers in Canada and supports them throughout the long process to allow them and their families to immigrate to their new homes.

On February 12th, 2022, Jean received a job offer as a Continuing Care Assistant at Northwood, a long-term care facility in Atlantic Canada, providing services and programs for older adults. Jean hopes to complete his training in Canada to obtain a medical license.

“I think the EMPP is important because it gives refugees a second chance,” Jean said. “Once you’re deemed a refugee, you cannot work, and you cannot be employed formally by the government or by other organizations. The EMPP gives you another chance to put your skills into practice and to achieve your goals and ambitions,” Jean shared.

“Having received my permanent residency, I think there’s much more to accomplish. I’m looking forward to greater things than I previously thought I would achieve. I hope to one day come back home and support other refugees,” Jean said.

After spending more than 26 years as a refugee in Nairobi, Kenya, Jean, a professional nurse, permanently relocated to Canada through the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) in June 2023. This program connects refugees to job opportunities that allow them to relocate to a safe, new country. RefugePoint partners with the Government of Canada, UNHCR, and Talent Beyond Boundaries to help qualified refugees living in Kenya apply the the EMPP and immigrate to Canada through work-based visas.

In 1996, Jean’s parents were forced to flee their home in Rwanda and sought safety in Kenya, where he was born. Jean completed his primary, secondary, and college studies in Kenya. After completing his nursing education, Jean volunteered as a nurse with Ciheb Kenya and Nairobi Metro, projects under the County Government of Nairobi.

In 2021, Jean learned about the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) through his friend. “After submitting my application to RefugePoint, I received a call that I had been shortlisted as one of the candidates,” Jean shared with us. “RefugePoint supported me in drafting my resume and preparing for the English proficiency tests and job interviews.”. In addition to the interview preparation, RefugePoint assisted Jean with his application to Canada’s Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Department.

RefugePoint is one of the founding members of the Global Task Force on Labor Mobility, which advocates for labor mobility pathways to be refugee-centered and guided by the lived experience of individuals who have participated in these pathways. This project helps to match qualified refugees in Kenya with employers in Canada and supports them throughout the long process to allow them and their families to immigrate to their new homes.

On February 12th, 2022, Jean received a job offer as a Continuing Care Assistant at Northwood, a long-term care facility in Atlantic Canada, providing services and programs for older adults. Jean hopes to complete his training in Canada to obtain a medical license.

“I think the EMPP is important because it gives refugees a second chance,” Jean said. “Once you’re deemed a refugee, you cannot work, and you cannot be employed formally by the government or by other organizations. The EMPP gives you another chance to put your skills into practice and to achieve your goals and ambitions,” Jean shared.

“Having received my permanent residency, I think there’s much more to accomplish. I’m looking forward to greater things than I previously thought I would achieve. I hope to one day come back home and support other refugees,” Jean said.

Two New Milestones For RefugePoint’s Labor Mobility Team

RefugePoint | November 10, 2023

Last month, RefugePoint’s labor mobility team celebrated several new milestones.

Eleven Refugees Depart for Canada in October

Last month, a cohort of eleven refugees departed for Canada through the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) to start new jobs as Continuing Care Assistants, following months of COVID-related delays. “It is a process that has taken time, but we are happy that it is finally coming to an end,” said RefugePoint’s Manager of Complementary Pathways, Sylvia Kamencu.

The Canadian government started EMPP with the aim of increasing opportunities for refugees to participate in Canada’s economic immigration programs. Since 2018, RefugePoint has been supporting the identification of qualified and experienced refugees in Kenya and connecting them with job opportunities with employers in Canada who are facing labor market shortages. EMPP affords refugees the opportunity to rebuild their lives in safety by virtue of demonstrating that they offer the skills and experience for in-demand jobs. It allows refugees to advance their careers and benefits local communities in Canada by filling critical roles in key sectors and industries that are impacted by workforce shortages. Through its engagement with EMPP, RefugePoint aims to prepare around 100 candidates per year for job matches in Canada, putting them on a path to permanent residency that also offers a lasting solution to displacement.

Saido Abdinoor Hassan, one of the candidates who received a job offer in Nova Scotia as a Continuing Care Assistant and departed for Canada in October. Photo: Diana Karua

“My entire life, I have known the life of a refugee. Getting an opportunity like this opens so many doors for me and my family,” shared Saido Abdinoor Hassan, one of the candidates who departed in October. Saido received a job offer from MacLeod Group in Nova Scotia and will work as a Continuing Care Assistant.

The recent departure of these eleven clients marks a very big milestone for the EMPP, as it gives hope to those still in refugee camps. “Having seen the departures that have been happening this month, so many refugees have renewed zeal to apply for the EMPP because they can now see the fruits of it; they are now sure that this is an actual pathway for refugees to actualize durable solutions,” Sylvia shared.

Jenn Wilson, RefugePoint’s Director of Third Country Solutions added, “On a recent trip to Kenya, we heard from partners working in education and training programs–and from refugees themselves–that EMPP has had a positive ripple effect, motivating youth and adults alike to pursue English language training and invest in building skills that may help them qualify for labor mobility opportunities. Regardless of whether they ultimately participate in EMPP, these efforts will benefit them and their communities.”

The refugees who departed for Canada in October 2023 were mostly from the Dadaab Refugee Camp, but also include the first cohort of refugees from Kakuma Refugee Camp. They were able to gain work experience from within refugee camps with help from the International Rescue Committee (IRC): IRC trains refugees in the camp who have completed their secondary education and recruits them to work in their many clinics in the camps as support staff with incentive pay. These eleven candidates were offered their positions after a rigorous process that included either video conferencing or in-person interviews during job fairs held at the refugee camp. All of the individuals will receive permanent resident status on arrival, allowing them to build new lives for themselves and their families in Canada.

“It gives us renewed hope, as the staff working in this program, to also continue helping more and more refugees who are able to come into this program. So for us, this is a big day. We are excited as RefugePoint’s labor mobility team. We are happy to see them so happy, to see them full of joy that they’re finally able to depart. And we know this then unlocks solutions even for the refugees in the camps,” Sylvia shared.

RefugePoint’s Network Of EMPP Partners Expands To Include Ontario

In October, RefugePoint and Talent Beyond Boundaries (TBB) conducted a successful job fair in Kenya where refugee candidates who had been identified for the EMPP were interviewed for job opportunities in Ontario, Canada. The job fair was a milestone for the EMPP as it marked the first visit of an employer and partners from Ontario to Kenya, expanding RefugePoint’s network of partners and provinces that are recruiting through the EMPP.

In partnership with TBB, which led the employer outreach and engagement process in Canada, RefugePoint facilitated job interviews in Kakuma Refugee Settlement for refugees who reside there, and in Nairobi for urban-based refugees and refugees who reside in the Dadaab Refugee Settlement. In Kakuma, the delegation also visited a number of livelihoods and skills programs and held discussions with UNHCR and partners around strategies to deepen connections between skills and vocational training, livelihoods programming and the EMPP. Throughout the visit, candidate interactions and job interviews, the employer and partners remarked on the high caliber of skills and expertise that were demonstrated by the candidates, presenting opportunities for scale and deeper engagement with the EMPP.

First row (L to R): Jenna Hornsby- RefugePoint, Lara Dyer and Kat Orr – TBB, Sylvia Kamencu – RefugePoint
Middle row: Elizabeth Clerk-World Education Service, Muraly Srinarayanathas – 369 Global, Janet Ouma – RefugePoint
Last row (L to R): Tushar Saxena – Skyhive, Quinter Atieno – RefugePoint, Simon – UNHCR, Jennifer Wilson – RefugePoint
Back right: Steven Harrison – CEO, Tri County Mennonite Homes

To learn more about labor mobility eligibility and application requirements, click here.

Cover: EMPP Candidates who departed for Canada in October from L to R: Adifatah Abdulle Sabriye, Alamin Manji Musa, Sylvia Kamencu (RefugePoint’s Manager of Complementary Pathways), Bigirimana Richard, Abisi Olivier, Patricia Omar. Photo: Diana Karua