Q&A with Community Navigator, Antoinette

Antoinette is a Community Navigator who works in a large residential area called Kasarani, on the Northeastern side of Nairobi. We hope you enjoy getting to know more about Antoinette and the important role that Community Navigators play in refugee health!

Why did you decide to become a RefugePoint Community Navigator?

“I consider myself first as a servant of the people, and secondly as an ambassador. I serve refugees as best as I can, and I do my work for RefugePoint as best I can. As an ambassador, I am the go-between for RefugePoint and the refugees. I represent RefugePoint when I am with refugees, and I represent refugees when I am with RefugePoint.

What is the most rewarding part of being a Community Navigator?

“When I see people from my community and other communities getting, food, rent, medical assistance, counseling, and business grants, I am very happy. When I get home from a day of work and I am tired, that makes me happy – that I have a place to go every day and engage myself mentally.”

What does your job a Community Navigator entail?

“I pick up and distribute prescription drugs to our clients and I interpret during resettlement interviews, client home visits, and business monitoring visits. I also assist in conducting community outreach, business trainings, group counseling sessions, and much more! Every week is different for me.”

What have you learned from being a Community Navigator?

“There are so many trainings that I have received from RefugePoint, including accountability, first aid, measuring blood pressure and diabetes, fraud, business training, counseling, and so many others. I feel that I have truly grown as a person and that the skills I have learned from working with RefugePoint are skills that I can carry with me for the rest of my life.”

What is a special skill that you have that helps you as a Community Navigator?

“I have always had an ear for picking up languages easily. I speak eight languages, including French, English, Swahili, Kinyamulenge, Kirundi, Kinyarwanda, Kibembe and Lingala.”

Want to learn more about the important role of Community Navigators? Learn More.

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