Five refugee voices in our community that inspired us this year

Last year, USA for UNHCR launched its new microsite, Refugee Voices in Your Community, an interactive map featuring more than 110 original stories from across the U.S. and around the world that shines a light on the power of refugee voices and on the commitment of people building more welcoming communities.

The map and stories span borders, taking you on an inspiring journey to meet refugees and other displaced people in your community and elsewhere. Meet five inspiring refugees from this year featured on Refugee Voices in Your Community.

1. Halima Hamud - Boise, Idaho

“I used to hide many parts of myself, parts of my identity, especially being a refugee,” recalls Halima Hamud. As a young Somalian refugee, Halima struggled to fit into her new community in Boise, Idaho when her family was resettled there in the fourth grade.

At school, Halima would hide her Muslim identity by taking off her hijab and wearing jeans. But the more she hid her identity the more uncomfortable and unhappy she was.   

It wasn’t until Halima entered high school that she got more comfortable exploring her identity. “I saw people that looked like me, people that had the hijab on,” Halima says. “And so, I put back on my hijab, and I think [that’s] when I started celebrating myself — when I started embracing my identity, and that's when I was so powerful… and so confident.”

This newfound confidence and sense of identity was what motivated Halima to pursue Political Science at Boise State University. As one of the few black Muslim women wearing a hijab in her classes, Halima realized she had an important role to play for other young refugee women. Halima began to focus on how she could advocate for others and break down barriers to representation in different spaces. Her passion for social inclusion and equity for refugee women fueled her ambition to apply for the Truman Scholarship in 2022. 

Now, Halima is a graduate student at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs where she’s focused on development practices with a special interest in women’s economic empowerment in east Africa. Halima was also accepted as a Clinton Global Initiative scholar where she’ll continue to explore her academic and professional interests.

2. Methusella Rwabose - Denver, Colorado

“My life began in a world of gunfire, but I’m determined to build a more peaceful path forward.”

From a young age, Methusella Rwabose grew up surrounded by violence and chaos in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His family was frequently targeted by militia groups, forcing them to flee their home in the middle of the night to seek refuge in the woods or neighboring villages.

In 2008, the violence reached a tipping point and Methusella and his family were forced to flee their home. They sought refuge in Uganda where they would live in a refugee camp for the next seven years. While they were finally safe, Methusella realized early on that living in a refugee camp would be difficult. 

“Although I was young, I remember the moment we arrived at the camp,” recalls Methusella. “We were given a small plot, where we had a tent and a small area of land to farm. Life was not easy there and I soon recognized that things that I loved, like going to school, were no longer a guarantee.”

Classes were offered in the camp but they were always overcrowded and under-resourced. Methusella yearned to go to a school so he could learn how to read and write like everyone else, but could only hope his dream would come true one day. 

In 2015, everything changed when his family was chosen for resettlement to the United States. The moment Methusella arrived at school in his new home in Denver, Colorado, he was thrilled. He didn’t waste any time pursuing the education he always dreamt of. “With a lot of hard work, and help from teachers and volunteers … I thrived in school. My English steadily improved, I made the varsity soccer team, joined student government and began doing community service on weekends.”

Methusella went on to the University of Denver where he thrived as a student and even discovered new ways to give back to his community. Alongside a friend, Methusella founded a non-profit, Colectivo de Paz, to support working-class immigrants, refugees and other historically marginalized people in the greater Denver area.

Now, as the first college graduate in his family, Methusella is reflecting on the importance of supporting refugees. “The path I take moving forward is full of choice and it’s because I was able to find a life with safety and a chance to pursue an education. I’m grateful for that. But I'm also mindful that my story should not be extraordinary, and that all refugee families deserve peace, dignity and a future.”

“Refugees are very resilient people, very motivated, and they need the right community to support them along their paths… I am determined to use my education to make a meaningful difference in the world.”

3. Yulia and Family - Arlington, VA

“At 5:00 am [my husband] woke me up and said that it's time to leave the country,” Yulia Rybinska shares, recalling the moment her family fled Ukraine on February 24, 2022. “We just took our kids and went from the city. Took documents, kids, nothing else,” she continues.

When the war in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, millions of families across the country were forced to flee their homes — triggering the biggest and fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War.

Yulia’s family left as soon as the conflict began and headed west towards the Polish border. But a simple trip that would usually take a few hours became the beginning of a long journey as the family was stranded at the border without food or water for days. 

After a few tense days, the entire family was finally able to cross into Poland where they were warmly welcomed. “Lines of buses from the Polish border took refugees,” Yulia says. “Polish people spent nights at the railway station and they gave their personal apartments to families. It was like, you can have tears in your eyes.”

Poland offered Yulia’s family a moment of relief during the first few weeks of the war while they figured out the next step in their journey. The family was offered temporary housing in Berlin, but when the opportunity to move to the United States came up, Yulia and her husband, Illya, decided to take it.

Now, more than one year later, the family is safely living in Arlington, Virginia. Yulia’s children are enrolled in school and taking additional online Ukrainian classes. Yulia is tutoring and teaching Ukrainian lessons while Illya is seeking work in the IT and business analyst fields. Although they’re unsure of what the future holds, they know they’re safe.

“At this particular point, we are trying to fight for our identity but we don't know what will be tomorrow,” Yulia shares. “We worked and we lived all our lives building careers and a future for our kids. Tomorrow? We don't know.”

4. The Global Village Project - Decatur, GA

“Students are not judged because of where they come from, not judged because of how they look, how they speak or how old they are,” Khaty says. “They’re just here to feel safe, feel protected and feel like they’re heard and welcomed.”

Khaty is a college student now with her sights trained on a PhD but before this, she found the inspiration and courage to continue her education at the Global Village Project. Founded in 2009, the Global Village Project is the only school in the country dedicated to meeting the educational needs of refugee young women and preparing them for high school.

The Global Village Project is located in Decatur and has been embraced by the local community. Georgia, and the metro Atlanta area in particular, have been welcoming refugees for decades. The school has helped more than 300 students graduate since its doors opened. This year, more than 40 students are enrolled, representing 8 different countries and speaking 14 different languages.

For Elizabeth Elango, CEO and Head of School, the name of the school reflects the care each student receives along their educational journey.

“The school’s founders were inspired by the saying that it takes a ‘village to raise a child,’ and it certainly does,” explains Elizabeth. “We have teachers and staff but we rely on volunteers and approximately 80 people come through this building every week to volunteer with the students.”

Although she’s in college now, Khaty continues to visit the Global Village Project and spend time with the new students when she can. 

“When she comes to talk to the girls, whether at lunch or popping into the classroom, she's just full of inspiration,” Elizabeth continues. “The students hang onto every word that she says because they know she understands their experience.”

5. Eduardo, Natalie and Leidys - Mexico

In Mexico, refugee students from Central and South America are taking advantage of a second chance to return to school and work toward their dreams. Meet Natalie, Eduardo and Leidys — three refugee college students in Mexico who are just steps away from realizing their dreams of earning a college degree.

“When I first arrived in Mexico it was difficult to go back to school because I had to work,” Eduardo reflects.

Eduardo fled Venezuela in 2017, arriving in Mexico alone. He was a student in Venezuela, but when Eduardo was forced to flee, he missed two years of school. He worked in retail stores and became a store manager to support himself. Eduardo explains that while he was eager to return to school, he was happy to be safe. 

In 2019, Eduardo earned a scholarship to return to school and is now on track to graduate next year with a degree in finance and business administration. 

“The scholarship was like a light at the end of a tunnel,” shares Natalie. “My situation is so much better than it was five years ago.”

Natalie and her family were forced to flee violence in Nicaragua five years ago but today, they’ve found a second chance to rebuild in Mexico. Her parents are employed at a local automotive factory, her siblings are back in school and Natalie is a scholarship student pursuing a degree in chemical engineering. 

“When you arrive alone and with nothing, a little bit of support goes a long way,” shares Leidys. “With that support, I’m happy to say that I’m graduating college soon.”

Five years ago, Leidys made the painfully difficult decision to flee Venezuela alone. Her neighborhood was no longer safe and access to education was no longer guaranteed. In Mexico, she was welcomed and received the support and care she needed. 

Leidys will soon be reunited with her parents and they will arrive in Mexico in time to attend her graduation.

Your Voice Matters. Share Your Story.

Are you a resettled refugee or an ally of refugees who would like to raise awareness and inspire others with your story? Share your story and inspire others. We want to hear from you!