Silvie, a single mother from Guatemala, arrived in South Florida in 2024 seeking safety and stability. With RAA’s help, she quickly found a job and began studying English and professional skills—on the clock and at no cost to her.

But like many refugees, Silvie was living on the edge. When a higher-paying job came along, she took it—only to be fired days later when her daughter was seriously injured and she missed work for medical appointments.

Suddenly, Silvie had no income. She fell behind on rent and moved in with a new partner. The situation turned dangerous fast, and both mother and daughter found themselves in an abusive home.

That’s when RAA stepped in again. We secured emergency shelter, expanded support services, and helped Steffi restart her career. By April, she had earned her phlebotomy certification and is now on track for a stable, meaningful career in healthcare.

Silvie's journey reminds us: for refugee families, one small setback can become a crisis. But with sustained support, recovery is possible.

When Rokhan arrived in South Florida after the evacuation of Kabul, he brought military experience—but no clear path to employment. Like many refugees, he faced the prospect of low-wage, dead-end jobs.

But RAA saw his potential.

We partnered with a local manufacturer to get Rokhan in the door—not for his resume, but for his discipline, leadership, and grit. He started on the factory floor and quickly rose to customer service. Then, with RAA’s help, he joined our workforce training program—learning new skills on the clock but at no cost to him or his employer.

In just three months, Rokhan completed multiple certifications and earned glowing reviews. He walked into the CEO’s office with his results—and walked out with a raise, new responsibilities, and a role training others.

Rokhan didn’t just get a job. He built a future.

This is the RAA model: pairing refugee  transferable experience with opportunity, and investing in skills growth. With your support, we turn displacement into possibility—and possibility into purpose.

As a young gay person, life was dangerous for Murat in Haiti where discrimination, brutality and violence against the LGBTQIA community is pervasive and largely unpunished. In her late teens Murat escaped to the Domincan Republic and worked on the streets for some time before UNHCR determined her status as a refugee. Arriving in Miami entirely alone, and without Spanish or English, Murat struggled to connect with any community before her referral to RAA. We provided her with a volunteer who accompanied her to medical and affirmative support and helped her connect with the LGBTQIA community as well as providing practical support. She developed a close relationship with her case manager and our Adult Learning & Development Team enrolled her in intensive English classes and provided enrollment support. She is now studying at college. She maintains a close friendship with her volunteer, who has continued to work with Murat for three years.

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When Dunia’s sister was murdered in a gang attack in Honduras, Dunia fled with her daughters, her brother, and her sister’s three orphaned children—now under their care.

Starting over in the U.S. with six dependents, every day has been a fight to stay above water. Dunia worked tirelessly to provide, but the threat of poverty always loomed.

RAA met Dunia at a turning point—first helping her find a survival job, then investing in her future. When she shared her dream of working in healthcare, RAA funded her part-time training as a Home Health Aide. On February 8, 2025, Dunia became certified.

“I did this because I wanted a better salary, to overcome the challenges of resettling, to be a better person, and to help my family move forward.”

With dignity and determination, Dunia is changing her family’s story.You can change the next one. Support refugee families building new lives from the ground up.

Nabeela arrived in Miami in 2022 with her husband and children after the evacuation of Afghanistan. Her husband, a former U.S. military ally, spoke English and found work quickly with RAA’s support. Nabeela, a stay-at-home mother with little formal education and no English, faced a much harder path.

In her culture, women are often discouraged from working or pursuing education. A career had never even crossed Nabeela’s mind. But with quiet determination—and the steady encouragement of her RAA case manager and volunteers—she began to learn English.

It wasn’t easy. With limited time and few chances to practice, progress was slow. But she didn’t give up.

Three years later, Nabeela is a confident English speaker, studying for her GED, and dreaming of college. A few weeks ago, inspired by her children’s success in school and her support network, she launched a home-based catering business.

On her first weekend, she took 66 orders.

Nabeela’s story proves that with persistence—and the right support—refugee women can achieve more than they ever imagined.

When Nasreen arrived from Syria, she lived in silence. Her husband worked. Her children went to school. But Nasreen—who couldn’t read in her own language—was left alone in a world where she couldn’t speak, and couldn’t ask for help.

Then RAA came to her door.
For the first time, someone saw her.

Through RAA’s English classes—first in her native language, then with a volunteer tutor—Nasreen began to learn. There were missteps: “flour” led her to flowers; a “field trip” sounded like forced labor. But her volunteer turned every mistake into a lesson.

Her breakthrough came one afternoon, waiting at the school gates. She joined a conversation with other moms. For the first time, she belonged.

You can be the reason another mother finds her voice. Donate now to help refugee women like Nasreen step out of isolation—and into community.