Kampala, 1 October 2018 – Ms. Noella Kabale, a 25-year-old refugee from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has lived in Kampala since 2012. She has benefited from different JRS services: English language, fashion & design, and entrepreneurship training.

Noella says this about the services she got from JRS Kampala: “The services I benefited from JRS helped me a lot. The trainings helped me to follow-up my dreams to be independent and self-reliant. Before these trainings, I had doubts and hesitations to start and maintain the business of my choice, due to the lack of appropriate tools and knowledge but now I have built self-esteem to proceed in my life and my business”.

Together with her four friends, Noella used her social networking skills acquired through the JRS business management program to form a youth led community based organization. The main purpose is to equip refugee youth and most vulnerable host community youth in Kampala with vocational skills in order to enable them to improve their livelihoods. Together, they also started “refugeenow_kampala”, a youth lead initiative that aims to market refugee products and boost their potential through the internet.

Noella is an example of a refugee youth whose commitment and participation in the entrepreneurship training program gained foresight, informed, and developed her large network of contacts. She no longer relies on other people to prepare loan applications or to tell her the meaning of a financial statement. Noella handles these aspects of her business on her own with know-how and confidence.

This story is part of JRS/USA’s World Refugee Day Campaign – With My Own Two Hands to celebrate the strength, resilience, and talent of refugees and what they can do and contribute their own two hands. We’ll be sharing stories of refugees who have rebuilt their lives and contributed to their new homes. We’ll also be offering you opportunities to learn more how you can use your own two hands to help refugees not just to survive but thrive. If you’re in Washington, DC, join us for World Refugee Day!