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CEO
As a young refugee entrepreneur with a background in education and technology, Kiza Mauridi has a passion for driving positive change and making a difference in the world. With six years of experience as a trained teacher in primary and high schools, Kiza is dedicated to improving the standard of living for the refugee community through partnerships and innovative solutions. He combines his teaching experience with his technical skills and has been selected as an advocate to address the refugee digital divide, furthering his commitment to creating a better future for those in need.
COO
Audit, financial risk advisory management specialist with over seven 7 years of not-for-profit audit and portfolio management. Specific sector experience: An all-rounded person in the humanitarian-development-Peace nexus, with an in-depth understanding of programming in key sectors including Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), Health, Education, Social Protection, and agriculture in the Eastern African region. Excellent communication skills, with full fluency in English and Kiswahili. Excellent Understanding of operations around grants management, with excellent presentation, proposal writing skills, Finance & accountancy, strategic financial advisory, Compliance, Internal audit, and risk management, policies/ systems formulation & implementation, and Team management.
Head of partnerships
Jessie is a penultimate year student studying BSc International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Jessie's background in public relations and student consulting has equipped her with valuable project management, communication, and outreach skills. As someone with a deep aspiration to work in international development, Jessie is committed to building meaningful partnerships and contributing to AReL's mission of empowering refugees.
PM
Zehn has applied key proficiencies to help organizations grow and thrive, including product development, project management, product management, team building, and leadership. This beneficial intersection of competencies has been especially valuable to startups who typically cannot afford five executive-level hires or Contractors to tackle the demands growing organizations face.
Head of Training Development
Philip works for Elixirr Consulting with experience in global business and technology transformation projects. Philip has also worked in digital learning with a focus on technology research and integration, training design, and delivery with experience in designing and academy setup. Philip is also the Director of Partnerships and Networks for CSRN establishing and managing global corporate and Non-Profit Partners. Philip is also a One Young World Ambassador and RISE Youth Thought Leader.
Head of Advisory Board
Jack is the founder of a global award-winning charity, CSRN, and a technology Investment Banker from London. Jack’s background spans organizational strategy, data science, and managerial finance, having received a Points of Light award from the UK Prime Minister for providing pro-bono management consultancy services to charities impacted by the crisis. Jack’s role at AReL is working with the team to help refine the organizational vision while overseeing the execution of AReLs overall strategy as the Head of the Advisory Board.
Refugee
Pathways
Refugee
Pathways
We are Action for Refugee Life (AReL), a refugee-led social impact organization founded in 2022 in Kakuma refugee camp striving to build a path to a sustainable and self-reliant future for the refugee community.
We are Action for Refugee Life (AReL), a refugee-led social impact organization founded in 2022 in Kakuma refugee camp striving to build a path to a sustainable and self-reliant future for the refugee community.
Partners
From inception, to the launch of our first pilot program, and beyond. Take a visual journey with us to follow our progress through each milestone and learn where we are heading next.
06/08/2023
06/21/2023
Today, we successfully held our 1st student induction, where we assessed students' preparedness for the first cohort (we test for English, etc.)
07/04/2023
Graduation for the first program to upskill refugees in Digital Marketing will be end of Q3, 2023.
Our first program course for Data Analysis will begin in September, 2023, with plans for morning and afternoon cohorts.
Our first program course for Front-end Development will begin in Oct, 2023, with plans for morning and afternoon cohorts.
The graduation for our second program launch in Data Analysis will be early 2024.
The graduation for our third program launch in Front-end Development will be early 2024
From inception, to the launch of our first pilot program, and beyond. Take a visual journey with us to follow our progress through each milestone and learn where we are heading next.
06/08/2023
06/21/2023
Today, we successfully held our 1st student induction, where we assessed students' preparedness for the first cohort (we test for English, etc.)
07/04/2023
Graduation for the first program to upskill refugees in Digital Marketing will be end of Q3, 2023.
Our first program course for Data Analysis will begin in September, 2023, with plans for morning and afternoon cohorts.
Our first program course for Front-end Development will begin in Oct, 2023, with plans for morning and afternoon cohorts.
The graduation for our second program launch in Data Analysis will be early 2024.
The graduation for our third program launch in Front-end Development will be early 2024
From inception, to the launch of our first pilot program, and beyond. Take a visual journey with us to follow our progress through each milestone and learn where we are heading next.
07/04/2023: Today, our 1st pilot has officially taken life. Classes for our first cohort were held for both morning and afternoon sessions.
Graduation for the first program to upskill refugees in Digital Marketing will be end of Q3, 2023.
Our first program course for Data Analysis will begin in September, 2023, with plans for morning and afternoon cohorts.
Our first program course for Front-end Development will begin in Oct, 2023, with plans for morning and afternoon cohorts.
From inception, to the launch of our first pilot program, and beyond. Take a visual journey with us to follow our progress through each milestone and learn where we are heading next.
07/04/2023: Today, our 1st pilot has officially taken life. Classes for our first cohort were held for both morning and afternoon sessions.
Graduation for the first program to upskill refugees in Digital Marketing will be end of Q3, 2023.
Our first program course for Data Analysis will begin in September, 2023, with plans for morning and afternoon cohorts.
Our first program course for Front-end Development will begin in Oct, 2023, with plans for morning and afternoon cohorts.
10.5% of registered students
92% of Students are Below The age of 35. Most are between the age of 25 and 35
10.5% of registered students
92% of Students are below the age of 35. Nearly 40% are under the age of 25, with 53% being between the age of 25-35.
To be the global leader in tech education and career placement for forcibly displaced individuals, transforming the lives of thousands and meeting the world's demand for skilled, diverse talent.
To unlock the economic potential of refugee talent, equipping them with skills for high-demand tech roles and enabling global employment opportunities.
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Nija is a dynamic marketing strategist with expertise in performance marketing, brand growth, and multi-channel strategy. Formally served as the Global Brand Franchise Manager at Tripadvisor, she has a proven track record of building, scaling, and optimizing marketing initiatives that drive measurable impact.
At Tripadvisor, Nija led the Travelers’ Choice Awards, achieving a 90% recommend-it rate and generating $8M in revenue year-to-date, marking a 50% year-over-year growth. Her ability to develop and execute brand strategies has positioned her as a key driver of success in highly competitive markets.
Previously, Nija built a search engine marketing (SEM) product from the ground up, securing Google Partner status within six months and scaling it into a top revenue driver for a fast-growing digital marketing agency. Her leadership helped the agency earn recognition as one of North America’s fastest-growing businesses.
Beyond campaign execution, Nija has successfully scaled paid advertising departments, trained teams, and led expert practitioners to outperform competitors in thriving industries. She is highly data-driven, using advanced analytics to optimize performance and extract key insights that push brands beyond industry benchmarks. With a strategic mindset and a passion for turning ideas into impact, she excels at building brands, driving growth, and leading high-performing marketing teams.
Kelly Giles is a high-impact marketing strategist and senior leader with a track record of driving growth, building high-performing teams, and executing integrated campaign strategies in the technology industry. With expertise spanning digital marketing, strategic planning, lead generation, and multi-channel marketing, she is known for her ability to transform complex challenges into scalable, results-driven solutions.
Kelly’s leadership journey has been defined by her ability to build and scale marketing teams, leading the largest department at an Inc. 5000 company and ensuring its seamless operation through predictive resource modeling, cross-functional collaboration, and production management. Her sharp analytical mindset allows her to connect data with strategy, identifying key business opportunities and executing them with precision.
What truly sets Kelly apart is her exceptional leadership and communication style. She has an innate ability to distill complex ideas into clear, actionable insights, engaging teams with a balance of persuasion, logic, and strategic foresight. She is a leader who stretches teams to grow continuously, earning admiration and respect for her ability to inspire excellence while maintaining an unwavering standard of performance.
Her impact extends far beyond execution. Kelly is a mentor, strategist, and change-maker. She is widely regarded as a leader who commands results without demanding them, fostering an environment where professionals thrive under her guidance. Her approach, an iron fist in a velvet glove, leaves an indelible mark on those she leads, pushing them to achieve their best work ever. Kelly’s reputation is one of extraordinary talent, rare leadership, and unparalleled expertise. To work with her, it’s not just a collaboration, it’s a masterclass in marketing, leadership, and professional growth at the highest level.
A Visionary Product Designer and UI/UX Specialist Driving Scalable, User-Centered Solutions - Jo is a senior product designer and leader with deep expertise in UI/UX design, product strategy, and cross-functional team building. Currently serving as the Lead Product Designer at Verblio, she has an extensive track record of designing scalable, user-centered solutions for complex platforms in both agency and in-house environments.
With a mastery of Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and other industry-leading tools, Jo specializes in product design, information architecture, qualitative and quantitative user research, accessibility, and building design systems. Her approach is data-driven and results-oriented, ensuring that every design decision enhances usability, engagement, and business performance.
Beyond execution, Jo is a proven leader and facilitator of learning, regularly leading discussions, exchanging insights on emerging design trends, and mentoring professionals to advance their skills in UI/UX and product design. Her leadership has been instrumental in fast-growing agencies, where she has played a critical role in shaping design teams, optimizing workflows, and driving best-in-class execution.
Jo’s passion for innovation, accessibility, and seamless digital experiences makes her an industry leader in crafting impactful, high-performing products that elevate both user experience and business success.
A Paid Social Media Strategist Driving Impact Through Data and Creativity - Stephanie Mesa is a Paid Social leader in the pharmaceutical space with over seven years of experience in paid and organic social media marketing. With a deep understanding of platform strategy, audience engagement, and performance optimization, she has successfully led and executed high-budget campaigns across Meta, TikTok, Reddit, and more, managing annual ad spends exceeding $10 million.
Her expertise spans both B2B and B2C marketing, where she has developed comprehensive social media marketing plans that drive measurable impact. Stephanie is known for leveraging both data and storytelling to craft campaigns that go beyond clicks—building genuine connections and engagement. She has also spearheaded unique social activations such as Reddit AMAs, brand takeovers, and high-impact engagement initiatives, demonstrating her ability to push the boundaries of digital marketing in creative and effective ways.
Beyond campaign execution, Stephanie has played a pivotal role in product development within the digital marketing space. She was instrumental in developing a social media management product and establishing the production function for one of North America’s fastest-growing companies, as recognized by the Inc. 5000.
A proven leader and collaborator, Stephanie has successfully led cross-functional teams to execute complex digital strategies on time, at scale, and with precision. Her balance of analytical expertise and creative execution makes her a powerhouse in paid social media marketing, driving performance-driven results for brands looking to thrive in today’s fast-evolving digital landscape.
Lisa Koroma embodies the modern renaissance entrepreneur—veteran spouse, serial mompreneur, and catalyst for business transformation. Over two decades, she has launched and nurtured multiple successful ventures, both for herself and for fellow mothers in her community. As CEO and creative director of LK Designs and Mom Power Moves, she orchestrates visual strategies and business solutions from her northern Virginia headquarters, empowering nonprofits, government agencies, and small businesses to amplify their impact through strategic design.
Her signature approach combines magnetic messaging with visually compelling designs, creating authentic connections that transform passive scrollers into active change-makers. Lisa's work transcends aesthetics—she builds visual ecosystems where consistent branding and strategic messaging inspire meaningful engagement. A Seattle native with a BFA from Cornish College of the Arts, Lisa has complemented her formal education with certifications in project management and web development from Northern Virginia Community College. She embodies the continuous learning ethos, having leveraged the transient nature of military spouse life to immerse herself in business strategy, digital marketing, and design innovation through specialized online coursework.
Beyond her primary ventures, Lisa co-founded Threadom®, an African Diaspora-inspired clothing and lifestyle brand that weaves social impact into its business model. Through Threadom, she channels both awareness and financial support to underrepresented African and African Diaspora charities, with proceeds supporting the Throne Room Orphanage & Educational Center, Inc.
Lisa's creative wellspring remains full through her passion for thrift-store fashion transformation and ambitious DIY home projects. Family minivacations and community volunteering serve as both respite and inspiration, fueling her vision for future initiatives that support fellow entrepreneurs while creating positive ripples throughout her community. Her ultimate aspiration: to multiply her impact by empowering other doers to realize their full potential through projects that transcend business success to create lasting community value.