Helping Refugees Build a New Life
Reflections on the refugee experience and how we can turn compassion into action
How do we help asylum seekers settle into Australia? What more could be done to support them as they navigate language barriers, foreign societal norms, and cultural differences?
Welcome to a new edition of the Humans For Good newsletter 📮 As we come off the back of Refugee Week, we’ll be weighing up the above questions and exploring stories, perspectives and resources about how we can be actively compassionate toward refugees and new migrants all year round.
Keep reading for 5 things that we need to know about backing migrapreneurs (migrant entrepreneurs) by Usman Iftikhar from Catalysr, Phillip from SolveSquad’s story, and a list of actions that we can all take to help make people who have been displaced feel at home and find success.
5 things we need to know about backing migrapreneurs by Usman Iftikhar – CEO of Catalysr and Venture Partner of Backbone Partners
Australia is a country of immigrants! Over 28% of the Australian population is born overseas, however many immigrants (whether they are economic migrants or humanitarian migrants such as refugee) find themselves facing issues with unemployment and underemployment. Often to solve this problem, they turn towards entrepreneurship as a way to start their own business and create meaningful employment for themselves and others. We have named these people #migrapreneurs and as someone with lived experience of being a migrapreneur, I wanted to share five ways in which you can help those like me belong and thrive in Australia.
Share networks
One of the biggest barriers for migrapreneurs is that the lack access to networks to find customers, partners, mentors and investors. So if you are connected into many networks, you can share that access by making friends with and mentoring migrapreneurs, and in particular, opening up your networks to them.Buy from migrapreneurs
From small business, to social enterprise and technology startups, you can find and support many amazing migrapreneurs by being the early adopters and customers for their products. Check out this directory of refugee businesses in Australia by one of our alumni companies at Catalysr; Welcome Merchant.Promote migrapreneurs and their businesses
Help spread the word about migrapreneurs and their businesses within your own personal and professional networks, because that word-of-mouth support goes a long way!Donate skills, time and dollars
If you’re a skilled person who has some capacity to share your knowledge and expertise, you can sign up to mentor at Catalysr and we will match you with amazing migrapreneurs at different stages of their journey. If you don't have time, and would like to make a financial contribution, you can make a tax deductible donation to us at Catalysr here.Invest in the next generation of migrapreneurs
We have set up a new early stage VC fund to invest in startups run by migrapreneurs in Australia. If you are a high-net-worth individual (sophisticated investor) you can connect with me on Linkedin to find out more about our fund and get involved.
Follow Catalysr for more about all things migrapreneurship, including their YouTube channel, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
Building a new life in Australia – Phillip’s story
As I grew up in a small village in Sudan (modern-day South Sudan), I came from a large family that eventually was displaced due to warring factions within the country, and eventually, I found myself in a refugee camp at the tender age of fourteen years of age. Although I was quite young, I found solace in the camp, which I moved to in order to escape the threat of being forced into becoming a child soldier. I was able to finally receive the opportunity to come to Australia on a humanitarian visa in 2005, leaving my family behind to start a new life.
Being in a new environment was a challenge, especially due to many cultural differences which I experienced; including learning English, having difficulty connecting within Australian society, and also finding it difficult to make connections I could count on. After being able to explore higher education at university, I was able to finally to finish my course; only to realise I had no one to assist in finding employment pathways after graduation. With better support from Australian society, I believe the transition would have been smoother.
I have finally realised, through my journey here to Australia and the things that I have gone through and experienced first-hand, that the way to truly experience compassion is to receive refuge during a time of need. I have been able to find new opportunities through valuable connections, and also to secure professional advancement in the administration field. The difference was realising the impact from the inside, and building on my potential as a way forward, rather than a way through tough times.
My story is one of many, but it is also an example that receiving compassion can also be a conduit for change.
Ways to support & welcome refugees
💪 Take one of these everyday acts to stand with refugees
🧺 Help fund this welcome picnic for newly arrived refugees in Australia
🇺🇦 Use your tech skills to maximise impact during the Ukranian war
💼 Source and hire refugees and displaced individuals here, or here
👗 Wear clothes that empower new migrant women to launch Australian careers
🍲 Visit or purchase catering from this Sydney-based cafe, or this Melbourne-based cafe to support asylum seeker and refugee chefs
💵 Lend as little as $5 to support refugees and internally displaced people
🧸 Knit a Trauma Teddy to provide a warm welcome to refugee children
🍞 Switch to this bread to help create pathways for aspiring bakers
💝 Order eco-friendly merchandise and hampers that create employment for marginalised women
Reads & resources
Have a read of this roadmap for unleashing the economic potential of refugees and migrants
Check out seven steps that enable refugee entrepreneurs to flourish in Australia
Use this framework to define and qualify refugee investments
Understand why entrepreneurship enhances the positive effects of migration on economic growth and development
Browse key reports that have influenced the emerging refugee entrepreneurship support ecosystem
Food for thought
“A refugee is someone who survived and who can create the future.” Amela Koluder, Writer and Diversity Advocate
“Refugees don’t make our country less safe. But xenophobia, fear and hate do.” Ted Lieu, American Politician
“It is the obligation of every person born in a safer room to open the door when someone in danger knocks.” Dina Nayeri, Novelist
Thanks for reading and sharing!
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