Hetal Soni, Sultan Minhas, and Nimota Salami standing shoulder to shoulder in front of the Royal Nigerian pop-up tent.
The IRC in Atlanta spent the week of November 13 – 19 celebrating Global Entrepreneurship Week.
Photo: IRC Atlanta

The IRC in Atlanta’s Microenterprise Development (MED) program is proud to support refugee and immigrant business owners from around the world. To honor the culture, passion and ideas these innovators bring to the Atlanta community, we spent the week of November 13 – 19 celebrating Global Entrepreneurship Week.  

Throughout the week, our MED team hosted workshops for those interested in pursuing small business grant funding and learning Excel skills, and spotlighted a handful of the incredible entrepreneurs currently enrolled in the program on social media: 

Elegant Mehndi 

Fiza Shahbaz, founder of Elegant Mehndi, learned the art of henna (or ‘mehndi’ as it is called in Urdu) growing up with her friends and family in Pakistan. She prides herself on creating detailed and intricate designs, perfect for proms, weddings, or as a way to treat yourself! 

 

Best Works Auto Care 

Mohammad Al Qadri, originally from Syria, is a former refugee and auto mechanic who in 2018 achieved his dream of becoming a business owner. He bought a mechanic shop and garage, Best Works Auto Care, located in the heart of Roswell, and has built a successful business providing high-quality services. 

Royal Nigerian Foods 

Royal Nigerian Foods, operated by chef Nimota Salami, makes delicious, homemade-style Nigerian dishes, sauces, juice and snacks! Whether you try her signature Obe Ata and Ata Agoyin sauces, or Zobo, a refreshing bright red Hibiscus drink made from dried sorrel leaves, you are sure to get a royal treatment from Royal Nigerian Foods. 

Yogi Elixir 

Hetal Soni, founder of Yogi Elixir, learned the importance of caring for your mind, soul and body from her mom and grandmother growing up in India. Yogi Elixir products use their wisdom to fully revitalize your senses with organic cold-pressed juices, mindful yoga and natural skincare products. 

Shared Yards Permaculture 

After resettling in Atlanta in 2008, Raman noticed how many of his neighbors, despite living in houses surrounded by yards of empty land, were not growing any of their own food—soon after, he founded Shared Yards Permaculture where he works with landowners and uses their yards to produce locally-grown vegetables and flowers.

 

 

 

Small Business Pop-Up Event

Customers shopping from the EM & EM Asian Halal Market pop-up spent.
EM & EM Asian Halal Grocery.
Photo: IRC Atlanta
Sultan Minhas and the owners of Al Sham Sweet Syria standing in the Al Sham Sweet Syria pop-up tent.
Al-Sham Sweet Syria.
Photo: IRC Atlanta
A pop-up customer receiving a henna tattoo from Elegant Mehndi.
Elegant Mehndi.
Photo: IRC Atlanta
Two pop-up patrons looking at marketing materials for the IRC in Atlanta's MED program.
Much of the MED program’s success is made possible by Georgia community members—like you.
Photo: IRC Atlanta

The week concluded with a Small Business Pop-Up event at Refugee Coffee Co. in Clarkston that several community members came out to support! Many of our clients sold out of their products during the event and were able to make connections with new customers and promote their products and services.  

The IRC in Atlanta’s innovative MED program provides financial coaching, lending services—including business start-up loans and credit-building loans—and training and technical assistance for refugee- and immigrant-owned businesses in Georgia.  

Much of the MED program’s success is made possible by Georgia community members—like you—who support these growing businesses—as volunteers, donors, interns, mentors and patrons. We know that refugees and immigrants bring many skills, strengths and talents with them as they rebuild their lives in the United States, and we are honored to support these entrepreneurial and resilient individuals in the pursuit of their own American dream.

 

Are you a business owner or aspiring entrepreneur in Georgia? To learn more about the IRC in Atlanta's MED program, or to access our MED services, please contact [email protected]. 

 

To learn more about the work of the IRC in Atlanta and for information on how you can get involved with the IRC as a donor or volunteer, please contact Development Director, Heloise Ahoure, at [email protected] or 678-636-8941.  

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