Meet Fahad. Originally from Iraq, he’s a graduate from Upwardly Global’s job seeker program. And now, he works with the team, reaching out to the next generation of professionals looking to land that perfect job. “I really like it, the team is amazing,” said Fahad. “Their passion is not only passion for finding the job, it’s personal. They check in with you and care even after you find a job.” He’s a job coach, but he also participates in community outreach with his colleague Daryna – a fellow program graduate from Ukraine - whenever he can. They both know how important it is for refugees and immigrants to know about what Upwardly Global does. But sometimes, they just don’t have the right materials to do it. Every week, Daryna and teammates like Fahad go out to community colleges, corporations, churches, and schools, telling people about Upwardly Global and the kind of support they can get there. We wanted to support their work, helping get the word out in a more … [Read more...] about Reaching Out
Campaigns
Building Each Other Up
Every once in a while, even the best teams need to stop and reconnect. Especially when there’s change, or shifting roles, or tough things people are processing separately. It can do so much good to remind your teammate – I have your back. “We’re a really close team,” said Favin from Upwardly Global, who we’ve been making change with over the past few days. “But we’re all so mission driven, that sometimes we forget to check in with each other.” For Day 107, we’re helping the team find time to stop, reflect, and remember what brought them to the same table in the first place. We wanted to do something different for the team, but also something that would help build both their working and personal relationships with each other. So we pulled in some experts – our friends at Coacharya – to lead the group in a teambuilding workshop. Whenever possible, Upwardly Global brings the job seekers they serve on to fill positions that suit their professional experience and goals. “We … [Read more...] about Building Each Other Up
Getting Around
One of the challenges refugee job seekers in Chicago face is transportation. When refugees and migrants seek support from Upwardly Global, they often don't have a job. And if they do, they're what the team calls “survival jobs” – jobs they need to take to get by. But they can be highly demanding on time and energy, and don’t leave a lot behind to support the search for something different that might suit their skills a bit better. So for our second day with Upwardly Global, we’re solving one problem for a group of job seekers – an easier way to get around. We got 10 cards good for $50 each, that job seekers can use toward Chicago’s public transportation system. “Public transportation, while it’s accessible and everywhere, it adds up,” says Favin from the Upwardly Global team. “It’s the idea of alleviating that and removing that barrier for them for a little while.” These professionals don’t have the odds on their side when it comes to landing a job that they’re … [Read more...] about Getting Around
Welcome to the Windy City!
Have you ever had the experience of chatting with a taxi driver who was born somewhere else, and realizing they have a PhD? Or they’re a doctor or an engineer? But for one reason or another, they’re stuck. They can’t seem to find the type of job that suits their experience – and that provides for their families. Enter Upwardly Global. They power an often unseen and underserved group of refugees in the U.S. - those who are highly educated or experienced but who don’t have the resources or know-how to get the jobs they’re qualified for. We love the work that our friends at Upwardly Global do. So for the next few days, we’re making change hand-in-hand with the UpGlo team and the job seekers they serve – starting with Dana. Dana is originally from Syria. She had a job as a Business Analyst before she left, and now she’s working really hard to land something that will not only pay the bills, but help her career get back on track. One of the hurdles she faces? Getting used to new … [Read more...] about Welcome to the Windy City!
Some Extra Support
For the past few days, we’ve explored a bit further into the benefits of having a bright light in your pocket – a solar-powered headlamps from Watts of Love. Today is our last day in Nakivale for a while, so we wanted to be sure our last headlamps went to folks who could really need them, but that we haven’t met quite yet. The ARC teams in Nakivale had an idea. People with disabilities living in Juru – a rural area of the large settlement – don’t have a lot of resources to support them. It’s their families that take care of them, but they’re struggling to get by, too. “Many people with disabilities rely on one family member or sometimes two for everything,” said Doreck from the ARC team. “Any extra support they can get goes a long way.” So today, we wanted to give our last lot of Watts of Love headlamps to people with disabilities in Juru who our team has identified as particularly in need. A tool to rely on at night, that will help them see a little … [Read more...] about Some Extra Support
Getting Ready to Graduate
We all know what it’s like to cram all night for an exam. It’s stressful, but you can make it through with some coffee, good music, and a friend or two to keep you company. But there’s one absolute necessity that you may have taken for granted as a student – access to electricity. Without something to light up your books, papers, or charge your computer, how could you possibly get your work done? But as the students at Nakivale’s only high school are preparing for their own final exams, those are the very challenges they face. “We don’t have a generator,” says Issah, a senior student getting ready to graduate. “When the power is out, your work is done.” While this may seem like the perfect excuse to skip out on studying, for the high school students in Nakivale this can be a real detriment to their education. And for kids like Issah, who loves history and wants to be a journalist, they’re looking to soak in all the knowledge they can get. “I love history because it tells … [Read more...] about Getting Ready to Graduate
Powering Change
Meet Jean de Dieu. He’s what we call a Community Activist – someone from the refugee community who volunteers their time to fight violence against women and girls. He has an infectious smile and boundless energy. And, big dreams for his community. “I like where I live,” he says. “And I hope that the little contribution I bring people will make this a safer place to be.” Jean de Dieu and his fellow Community Activists are on call day and night. It can be a tough job. But at night, it’s even tougher. We decided to surprise Jean de Dieu and the other Community Activists with a little something to brighten their days – and nights. Watts of Love headlamps! “I am so happy,” said Jean. “If anyone calls me in the middle of the night I can see where I’m going. If someone needs a report to take to the police for filing, I can easily write it now.” Jean believes deeply that real change is possible – he’s seen it himself. “When I compare the community from a few years ago to … [Read more...] about Powering Change
Far Out
In Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda, our teams are responsible for getting clean water to over 100,000 refugees who live in the 184-square-kilometer settlement. That’s a lot of people, a lot of ground to cover. And a lot of water. To power this undertaking, we employ dozens of water operators who are in charge of making sure things run smoothly. But as you might imagine, reaching the furthest ends of the settlement can be a challenge. That’s where our water operators in Juru come in. The area called Juru is far away from the most populated part of the settlement, where the landscape is hilly and green. But at night, it gets dark. “This place is far away from most homesteads,” said Andrew from the ARC team. “There are five water operators here, and they take shifts spending all night and all day at this water point.” These guys carry a lot of responsibility, and water crises come up day or night. We thought they were perfect candidates for change. How? You … [Read more...] about Far Out
A Beautiful Heart
“It’s been a while since we’ve had electricity.” Mama Noume sits in her small, darkly lit workshop, surrounded by her handiwork – dresses, jackets, and pants sewn from traditional cloth. A calm and warm person, Mama Noume isn’t the type to complain. But the lack of electricity at her workshop is clearly a problem. “My girls have a hard time seeing sometimes,” she says. For Day 100, we’re taking one small step toward getting them some light. We first met Mama Noume last year on Day 335. And it only takes a few minutes with her to realize that her heart is with the girls she takes in and teaches to sew – they’re all young women who are either abandoned or the head of their families. They’ve been left with a terrible burden. But Noume tries her best to make it right. “I teach them how to sew clothes and also reusable sanitary pads,” she said. “Right now, I have two girls with me. Overall, I’ve trained about 30 girls over the years.” You read that right – 30 girls! … [Read more...] about A Beautiful Heart
A Cup of Tea
Tea is such an important part of Rohingya culture. But because Rohingya communities have been uprooted from their lives, they don't have the means or ability to get it. We wanted to bring back a little bit of normalcy and tradition, to help them feel some comfort during tough times. So we set about getting one gift bag for one woman in each household in one community – filled with tea! We got everything these women would need to make and have tea – sugar, milk, and a cup. And all of it went into a shoulder bag, hoping it would be useful to the women moving forward as well. "I used to drink tea, so this is very important," said Jushna, a member of the community. "Before I drank tea everyday," said Amina, another neighbor. "I like this gift very much." We wanted to show some love and support to everyone in this community. To give a small moment of comfort, a reminder of home, as they work to regain stability and get back on their feet. … [Read more...] about A Cup of Tea