EMPP Candidates 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   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 ..read more

The Global Refugee Forum will take place in Geneva, Switzerland from December 13 to December 15, 2023.   What is the Global Refugee Forum? The Global Refugee Forum (GRF) is the world’s largest gathering in support of refugees and the communities that host them. Held once every four years in Geneva, Switzerland, it is attended by heads of state, leaders across the refugee space, national and international NGOs, refugees themselves, and many more. The first-ever GRF was held in 2019.    How does the Global Refugee Forum actually help refugees? The GRF is a space for governments, l ..read more

​​RefugePoint mourns with all those who have lost loved ones during the Hamas attacks in Israel and Israel’s responses in Gaza. Our staff are heartbroken as we see violence carried out against Israeli and Palestinian civilians. Civilians must never be targets in warfare. International humanitarian law calls for the protection of civilians and prisoners of war from physical danger and psychological harm during times of armed conflict. They must have access to food, shelter, and medical care and be treated humanely in all circumstances. RefugePoint joins together with the international community ..read more

  On September 29, 2023, RefugePoint welcomed the news that President Biden signed the Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions for Fiscal Year 2024, authorizing the admission of up to 125,000 refugees to the U.S. during the fiscal year 2024.  This announcement signals continued U.S. leadership in refugee resettlement and comes at a time when global resettlement needs are at a record high. Among the approximately 32.5 million refugees in the world, the UN Refugee Agency estimates that more than 2 million are in need of resettlement because they can’t stay safely in the countr ..read more

From left to right: Noubar Afeyan, Moderna Co-founder and Chairman; Sasha Chanoff, Founder and CEO of RefugePoint; Vilas Dhar, President and Trustee of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation (event sponsor); Chef José Andrés, Founder of World Central Kitchen; Susan Sarandon, Academy Award-winning actor; and Julia Dhar, Managing Director & Partner at Boston Consulting Group (event sponsor). Photo: Chris Jensen, RefugePoint   NEW YORK, Sept. 20 – At Nubeluz by Chef José Andrés in Manhattan and with supporting remarks from the humanitarian chef, Academy Award-winning actor Susan Sarandon, Mo ..read more

Welcoming Little Amal to Boston From September 7-9, Boston, the home of RefugePoint’s headquarters, will be welcoming a very special guest named Little Amal. Little Amal, whose name means “hope” in Arabic, is a 12-foot puppet that symbolizes a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl in search of her mother. Little Amal has traveled to more than a dozen countries and has met more than one million people to raise awareness about the plight of refugee children. Boston is the first stop on Little Amal’s 6,000-mile journey across the United States.   How does Little Amal’s visit relate to RefugePoint ..read more

By Dr. Sonasha Braxton, Senior Technical Advisor for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) at RefugePoint   The SNF Nostos 2023 Conference, hosted by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, convened experts, practitioners, and activists in Athens, Greece from June 21 to 23. With a focus on youth mental health, the event explored loneliness among youth, arts integration, AI, technology, the importance of support systems, and community-based health approaches, fostering collaborative solutions for a more inclusive and mentally resilient world.  Attendees discussed the progress of the ..read more

  Unfortunately, many refugees can’t go home and can’t safely stay in the country to which they have fled. We help these people relocate to a safe, new country so that they can begin to rebuild their lives. Of the millions of refugees in need of resettlement each year, many are eligible for a variety of other pathways to safety (often referred to collectively as “complementary pathways” to resettlement), including family reunification, labor mobility, education, private sponsorship, and humanitarian pathways. In recent years, RefugePoint has been a global leader in developing new programs ..read more

Since 2018, RefugePoint has partnered with the Government of Canada, UNHCR, and others to build the Economic Mobility Pathways Project (EMPP). Through the EMPP, RefugePoint supports the identification of qualified and experienced refugees in Kenya (Nairobi, Kakuma, and Dadaab) and connects them with job opportunities with employers in Canada facing labor market shortages. The work-based visas offered through the EMPP give refugees the opportunity to rebuild their lives in safety while advancing their careers.  Up until now, the Economic Mobility Pathways Project (EMPP) has served as a pat ..read more

By: Dr. Sonasha Braxton, Senior Technical Advisor for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) at RefugePoint   Research has shown that humanitarian workers experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, and trauma symptoms than the general population.  We can logically deduce that this is because humanitarian workers are often placed in highly stressful situations in places that are far from home, from loved ones, support networks, and places that are often under-resourced.   Additionally, humanitarian workers often: Face powerful ethical dilemmas Work long hours in dif ..read more