RefugePoint

10/13/2026

Although John was born in a refugee camp and spent most of his life in a camp, he is determined to lead a different life for his family. With a wife and eight children to care for, he believes that hard work enables you to live well with your family.

In 2022, John secured a business grant from RefugePoint, which he used to launch his bakery business. John runs the business with his wife and employs two other refugees to support the daily operations.

Through this business, John has been able to sustain his family’s needs and pay for his children’s education. “When I started doing this work, my life improved. Even now, my children do not lack food because everything I do depends on this work, which is why I can say that this work has helped me,” John explained.

10/12/2026

Photovoice: Trauma Recovery and Narrative Reclamation Through Photography

Last quarter, RefugePoint organized a Photovoice exhibition and storytelling session that created a safe space for refugee clients to document and share their experiences through photographs and personal narratives, creating opportunities for reflection, dialogue, and connection.

Together, the stories reflected a wide range of experiences, including displacement, grief, livelihood challenges, disability, discrimination, entrepreneurship, community support, faith, health challenges, protection risks, recovery, resilience, and self-reliance.

The exhibition and storytelling session demonstrated how community mental health initiatives contribute to RefugePoint’s broader goal of supporting refugees on their journey toward self-reliance. You can read more at the link below.

10/09/2026

Remember that refugee mental health matters this (October 10).

Refugees are often trying to rebuild their lives in a new country while also dealing with the toll that persecution and displacement have taken on their mental health. Mental health and psychosocial wellbeing greatly influence people’s ability to engage in livelihoods, form supportive relationships, access the resources and services they need, and envision and pursue their goals. Ensuring refugees have access to mental health support is critical to helping them move toward self-reliance and is therefore a fundamental part of RefugePoint’s self-reliance programming; it is often among the first services clients receive upon enrollment in the Urban Refugee Protection Program (URPP) in Nairobi, Kenya.

RefugePoint provides mental health and psychosocial support services such as:
-One-on-one counseling
-Group therapy
-Support group services that enable clients to develop self-awareness, deal with trauma, resolve issues, cope with challenges, build social connections, and strengthen peaceful coexistence.

A key component of RefugePoint’s Mental Health and Psychosocial Support ( ) includes working directly with communities. RefugePoint’s Community-based Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (CB-MHPSS) is rooted in the understanding that communities and refugees with lived experience possess the wisdom for support and healing. Through collaboration with communities, the CB-MHPSS component of our programming enhances mental health awareness, contributes to reduced stigma, and fosters community resilience and well-being.

10/08/2026

We sat down with Nasraden, a husband, father, and business owner, to learn more about his journey rebuilding his life in Nairobi, Kenya.

As a refugee from Ethiopia, Nasraden reported that language was his biggest challenge at first. “Back in my home country, we don’t speak English or Kiswahili; we only speak Oromo and Amharic.” In time, though, he learned to speak Kiswahili, an essential prerequisite for interacting with customers as a business owner in Nairobi.

Nasraden also partnered with RefugePoint: as part of RefugePoint’s Self-Reliance Runway, Nasraden:
1. Received essential stabilizing services, such as medical care for his family, food support, and rent support.
2. Participated in RefugePoint’s business development skills training, where he learned the essentials of running and maintaining a small business.
3. Was awarded a small grant to start his business.

Nasraden’s thriving shop now offers a variety of clothing, including jeans, T-shirts, shirts, jackets, and shoes. “My business is doing well to the point that I can easily pay rent for my shop, where I work, and I can even pay my house rent without struggle,” Nasraden told us. He added, “Now, my life is not bad, but I will continue to press on and work hard with determination and seriousness so that I can transform my life into a better one.”

RefugePoint partners with refugees to rebuild their lives.

10/07/2026

We're working to promote refugee-led efforts 🌱

Last week, refugee-led organizations (RLOs) and partners from across the region met in Nairobi for a two-day convening. This year's theme: "Strengthening Urban Refugee Leadership, Equitable Partnership and Meaningful Participation."

RLOs and community-based organizations (CBOs) in Nairobi, Kenya, provide vital services to urban refugees and are best placed to respond to the needs of their community, especially in emergencies. Discussions centered around ensuring that refugees lead or are included in discussions that affect refugee populations. RefugePoint is proud to help champion this effort: visit https://hubs.la/Q04zqpz_0 to read more.

09/03/2026

Behind the Scenes! Our Social Work Team shared this reflection on a recent experience with a client.

There are days in social work that remind us exactly why we chose this profession, and this was one of them. Earlier this year, our team identified a refugee client who dreamt of rebuilding her life with dignity. Through RefugePoint’s Self-Reliance Runway (stabilizing services, business training, and a business grant), she partnered with us to take her next steps towards self-reliance.

Fast forward a few months: walking into her vibrant retail shop was nothing short of inspiring! With a huge smile, the client proudly gave us a tour of the business she built through determination, resilience, and plenty of hard work.

Every stocked shelf and every customer served told a story of hope replacing uncertainty.

Behind every success story are social workers who listen, advocate, encourage, coordinate services, conduct home visits, navigate challenges, and walk alongside clients every step of the journey. We celebrate the wins, support clients through setbacks, and never lose sight of the goal, helping families move from vulnerability to self-reliance.

Every home visit, every referral, every follow-up visit and every word of encouragement contributes to stories like this one.

Today, we're celebrating a thriving shop. Tomorrow, it will be another business, another family regaining stability, or another client discovering that they, too, can succeed.

Here's to the incredible resilience of our clients and to every passionate social worker who shows up each day ready to change lives, one household, one dream, and one success story at a time.

09/01/2026

One way we help refugees is by sharing knowledge and resources with other organizations working to expand solutions for refugees. We also support refugee-led organizations (RLOs) and promote refugee leadership through trainings, convenings, and an RLO grant program.

Our Expert in Rwanda recently shared some photos from the RLO Light 4 Refugee, which operates in Mahama Refugee Camp, in close partnership with UNHCR. Light 4 Refugee works to empower refugee youth to thrive through academic preparation, career guidance, and mentorship.

As the focal point for complementary pathways activities at this location, our Expert reported that they were recently able to successfully arrange and allocate office space for Light 4 Refugee.

"Having a dedicated office space will significantly strengthen the organization's capacity to coordinate and deliver complementary pathways activities," they shared. "It will provide a central point for information sharing, career guidance, mentorship, outreach, documentation support, and engagement with prospective applicants seeking opportunities through education, employment, and other complementary pathways initiatives."

Learn more about Light 4 Refugee at https://hubs.la/Q04w4d-k0

09/01/2026

RefugePoint has long recognized the vital role that refugee-led organizations (RLOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) play in responding to the needs of their own communities.

Earlier this year, we awarded grants to 3 urban-based Refugee-Led Organizations (RLOs):

-Women for Peace and Development (WOPEDE), who will implement beauty and literacy training for 50 young women
-Ubuntu Youth Organization, who will provide tailoring and entrepreneurship training to 40 youth
-Ruiru Refugee Renewed Hope Initiative, who will provide business skills training and grants to 40 community members.

As part of the granting process, RefugePoint staff meet with leaders from each organization for goal setting, budgetary alignment, and ensuring transparency in reporting.

Since 2022, RefugePoint has awarded grants to 13 RLOs and CBOs, with 4 receiving multi-year funding, enabling more refugees living in limbo to access lasting solutions.

08/24/2026

On , we’re sharing Nasraden’s story.

Nasraden, a refugee from Ethiopia, runs a successful clothing shop in Nairobi, Kenya. As part of RefugePoint’s self-reliance runway, Nasraden:
1. Received stabilizing services such as food support, medical care, rent support, and education support (for himself and his family)
2. Completed business training
3. Opened his shop using a small business grant from RefugePoint

“We don’t lack what to eat, we don’t lack school fees, we don’t lack house rent,” Nasraden explains. “Now, my life is not bad, but I will continue to press on and work hard with determination and seriousness so that I can transform my life into a better one.”

RefugePoint partners with refugees to build lasting, stable futures.

08/19/2026

Thank you, Isabel Allende!
Happy World Humanitarian Day!

Today, on World Humanitarian Day, I’m sharing this story from RefugePoint Founder & CEO Sasha Chanoff about humanitarianism and moral courage: Face-to-Face Encounters Impose a Moral Responsibility. The link to read this article is here: https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2026/07/17/refugee-immigration-tps-sasha-chanoff

RefugePoint does incredible work. Learn more by following their account: RefugePoint