Coming Soon: Refugees at Work

In this episode, we speak to Maryna, a Ukrainian woman whose life was indelibly changed on February 24, 2022, when Russian forces invaded her hometown of Kharviv, in the east of the country. Though she happened to be outside of the country on holiday when the war initially broke out, she’s since become one of the 8M+ Ukrainians who are displaced around the world. 

Far from her previous life as a professor of pharmacy at the National University of Kharkiv, she traveled through Hungary before finding refuge in Poland’s capital of Warsaw in the early days of the conflict. Today, she works in hospitality at Tent member company, Marriott. She speaks to Tent about the challenges she has faced, her job at Marriott, and hopes for the future.

Hosted by Tony DiFlorio. Produced by Jake Musiker.

In this episode, we speak to Ajla, a former refugee who fled the war in Bosnia as a child with her family in the early 1990s. After living in a refugee camp in Croatia, she and her family resettled in the United States to begin a new life.

Throughout her childhood, Ajla grew up with a deep appreciation of the sacrifices her family made to give her a better life. She embraced opportunities in the U.S., earned a college degree, and embarked on a career in hospitality. 

Today, Ajla is the Senior Director of Talent Management and Leadership Development at Hilton and is supporting the professional growth of her team members around the world. Hosted by Tony DiFlorio. Produced by Jake Musiker.

En este episodio hablamos con Eduardo; un estudiante universitario en Venezuela cuando en el país estalló el descontento social. La grave crisis económica, la escasez de alimentos y medicamentos, el crimen desenfrenado y un gobierno opresor han llevado a más de cinco millones de venezolanos a huir del país.

En 2017, la crisis obligó a Eduardo a abandonar su hogar y comenzar una nueva vida en Bogotá, Colombia. Teleperformance, una empresa global enfocada en brindar atención al cliente y soporte técnico a algunas de las marcas más grandes del mundo, contrató a Eduardo poco después de su llegada.

Cuatro años después, Eduardo ha asumido un rol de liderazgo y continúa trabajando duro por alcanzar sus sueños, motivado por su familia. Presentado por Daniela Guzmán. Producido por Margaux Maxwell. 

In this episode, we speak to Eduardo, who was a university student in Venezuela when the country reached a boiling point. A severe economic crisis, dire shortages of food and medication, rampant crime, and an oppressive government led more than six million Venezuelans to flee the country.

In 2017, Eduardo was forced to leave his home and start a new life in Bogotá, Colombia. Teleperformance, a global business focused on providing customer care and technical support to some of the world’s largest brands, hired Eduardo shortly after his arrival.

Four years later, Eduardo has taken on a leadership role and continues to work hard in pursuit his dreams, spurred by his family. Hosted by Daniela Guzman. Produced by Margaux Maxwell. (Note: The original interview in Spanish has been voiced over by an actor in English). 

Dans cet épisode, nous avons parlé avec Karam, qui est originaire du Darfour, une région de l'ouest du Soudan où le conflit a déplacé plus de 2,8 millions de personnes depuis 2003. Karam vit actuellement en France, où, inspiré par sa propre expérience, il a créé une organisation pour aider d'autres réfugiés à s'intégrer dans la société française. Il travaille aujourd'hui comme chargé de projets de communication chez L'Oréal, où il mène des projets pour promouvoir l'inclusion et la diversité. Animé par Dajana Djedovic. Produit par Margaux Maxwell. 

In this episode, we speak to Karam, who lives in France and is originally from Darfur, a region in western Sudan where conflict has displaced over 2.8 million people since 2003. Inspired by his own experience, Karam started his own organization to help other refugees integrate into French society.

He now works as a communications project manager at L’Oréal, supporting projects that promote inclusion and diversity. Hosted by Daniela Guzman. Produced by Margaux Maxwell. (Note: The original interview in French has been voiced over by an actor in English).

As a university student in Damascus in 2015, Hiba saw her future clouded by the uncertainty of war. In this episode, we spoke with Hiba about how she navigated a new community, language, and job market when she left Syria and came to the UK. Now as an apprentice at Arup, a global engineering and architecture company headquartered in London, Hiba is building a strong foundation for a profession in the engineering field. Hosted by: Daniela Guzman. Produced by: Margaux Maxwell.

To mark World Refugee Day, we spoke to Vanig Garabedian, a refugee from Syria who’s currently working at TD Bank in Toronto, Canada. In Syria, Vanig was a successful obstetrician and gynecologist. Now, he’s hoping to give back to his new community by putting his medical skills to work on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response – with the support of his proud colleagues at TD Bank. 

Hosted by: Maia Bix

Produced by: Margaux Maxwell

Refugees at Work celebrates refugees’ contributions to our communities and our economies. Hosted by the Tent Partnership for Refugees, this podcast shines a spotlight on refugees as they build their lives in their new homes around the world. 

Each episode of Refugees at Work tells the story of one refugee in the workplace. You’ll hear from refugees working at leading companies, refugees running their own businesses, and more! Tune in to get inspired by stories of dedication, resilience, and courage.