GENEVA, Switzerland – For young people, finding that first job or starting a career after education is a critical development point. For those who are also refugees – and more than 50 percent of refugees are under 25 – it’s a massive challenge. They have had their education disrupted, may be grappling with the trauma of displacement, lack contacts and networks, and be navigating different cultures and perhaps different languages. For their societies, this creates a massive waste of talent and threatens to trap another generation in a cycle of dependency.
This edition of the podcast talks to two young refugees, Mashimbo Rose Nafisa and Joel Amani Mafigi, who have not only navigated these challenges, but have decided to devote their careers to helping other young people do the same – whether it is starting their own businesses, finding jobs, or simply improving their employable skills.
They will be attending the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum in New York this month to advocate for better work opportunities for young refugees.
