Upwardly Global Program Director Lourena Gboeah was featured in VOA Africa’s “Our Voices” show for World Refugee Day. A Liberian refugee, Lourena uses her experiences to support and empower marginalized populations with her work with Upwardly Global and as Chair of Refugee Congress’s Board of Directors.
“It was in the early 90s when we got resettled. During that time, I will say that there was a lack of cultural competency. People didn’t really know why people were being resettled, the trauma that refugees faced,” shares Lourena about her experience resettling and integrating in the U.S.
Talking about her work with Upwardly Global, she says, “We work with internationally educated refugees who come into the U.S. These are people who are educated, who are professionals in their country, but they’re often times under- or unemployed due to a lack of language [proficiency], a lack of professional network, so we help those individuals who are, of course, work authorized to gain skill-aligned roles that would really help them thrive and contribute back to their communities.”
“We like to look at integration in a more holistic way, and we tend to use the term ‘inclusion.’ We’re helping refugees to be able to thrive in the communities in which they are being resettled and to also give back to those communities.”
Watch her full interview below.