As a child, Siyat looked up to his uncle, who was a nurse, and he dreamed of becoming a healthcare worker. After finishing high school in 2013, Siyat hoped to study medicine and fulfill his dream of becoming a nurse. However, financial constraints led him to pursue a diploma in education. Even after graduating, Siyat still hoped that he’d one day get an opportunity to pursue medicine.
In 2019, Siyat secured a scholarship to study nursing through an initiative by the International Rescue Committee. After his graduation, he got a job as a nurse in a local hospital, where he worked for five years. He then took his education even further, obtaining a Bachelor’s in Arts and Social Sciences from the University of Nairobi.
In 2021, Siyat learned about the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) through an advertisement shared in a WhatsApp group. This Canadian initiative connects skilled refugees with employers across various sectors. Collaborating with the Canadian government, UNHCR, and Talent Beyond Boundaries, RefugePoint helps qualified refugees in Kenya move to Canada through employment-based visa programs.
After reviewing the call for applications and noting that he had the required skills, Siyat decided to apply. In January 2023, he received an employment offer to work as a continuing care assistant with the MacLeod Group, a senior care and retirement living provider in Nova Scotia, Canada.
“The EMPP is very important for refugees because it helps them use their skills to move to a third country,” Siyat shared with us. “[The EMPP is] going to change my life completely because I’m moving to a country where I’ll be doing a better job, living a better life. I’ll be able to further my studies and fulfill my dreams in the future, like becoming a full doctor,” Siyat shared.
In April 2024, Siyat departed for Canada to begin his new job.