Safiya

After her brothers were kidnapped and her father was killed, Safiya was forced to flee her home in Ethiopia while she was still a young girl. She eventually arrived in Nairobi after years of displacement, yet encountered challenges in the new city as well. Safiya and her two young boys received rent, food, and health support from RefugePoint, which allowed her to invest more time in her business making and selling traditional Oromo beadwork. Crafting beautiful handwoven designs, she sells her work to the Oromo community in Nairobi for special occasions like weddings. “I have hope in what I am making with my hands. I believe in it, I believe in myself,” Safiya shared. She’s now able to afford rent with her earnings and is working towards self-reliance.

“I am content with what I have. I do not seek assistance from other people. I have a plan to expand this work by hiring people to work under me.”