The Economic Mobility Pathway Program (EMPP) is crucial because I’ve seen so many skilled refugees in Kakuma who need assistance in obtaining long-term solutions. Without the EMPP, these refugees would never have been discovered.
I am a South Sudanese refugee who has lived in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya for around 20 years.
Kakuma Refugee Camp was established in 1992 and has grown significantly over the decades. As of December 2024, the camp hosts approximately 218,660 refugees and asylum-seekers from neighboring countries, including South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
I was a hardworking teenager, a cattle herder, farmer, and fisherman but I fled the civil wars to Kenya at 14 years old. I pursued my education in Kenya, graduating with a high school diploma. I am advancing my nursing degree online at Xim University in India through the sponsorship of Jesuit Worldwide Learning.
In 2010, I started working as a community rehabilitation adviser with Handicap International (Humanity and Inclusion), supporting individuals with disabilities and older adults within the camp.
In April 2021, I learned about the Economic Mobility Pathway Program (EMPP) through a colleague who shared the Call for Applications with me via WhatsApp. I decided to apply because I met the qualifications of having a high school certificate and a recommendation from my employer.
The EMPP program offers skilled refugees and displaced people an opportunity to work permanently in Canada. Through its Labor Mobility Program, RefugePoint partners with the Canadian Government, UNHCR, and Talent Beyond Boundaries to help qualified refugees in Kenya immigrate to Canada through work-based visas.
Through RefugePoint’s support, I took the IELTS exam and attended interviews with potential employers in Kakuma. Their [RefugePoint] assistance ensured that my application was handled with care and professionalism.
Chol’s application was successful, and in mid-2022, he was offered a job in Canada as a Continuing Care Assistant at Northwood, a continuing care organization in Nova Scotia.
From my experience, the Economic Mobility Pathway Program (EMPP) is crucial because I’ve seen so many skilled refugees in Kakuma who need assistance in obtaining long-term solutions. Without the EMPP, these refugees would never have been discovered.
The EMPP program is going to change my life in so many ways. It is a sign of change in my life. I aspire to further my education, support my siblings’ schooling in Kenya, and give back to organizations that have been instrumental in my journey. Whatever I gain in Canada, I will use it to change the world.
Chol was resettled in Nova Scotia, Canada, in February 2025 to begin his new job.