Finding a job is the first order of business for most adults arriving in San Diego as refugees, but sometimes finding a way to get to work can be even more challenging than finding the job itself.  

In partnership with the IKEA Foundation, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) launched Refugees in East Africa: Boosting Urban Innovations for Livelihoods Development (Re:Build) in 2021. The initiative targets 20,000 refugees and host community members to help them sustainably reach economic self-reliance and social cohesion. From 2022-2023, a three-armed randomized controlled trial (RCT) tested the effectiveness of mentorship on economic well-being and social cohesion on 1,570 of the Re:Build clients. All clients received a cash grant to start or improve a small business, i.e., a micro-enterprise. The program paired one-third of the youth with experienced entrepreneurs who served as business mentors. Another third received business mentorship and engaged in perspective-sharing exercises to build trust and social cohesion. The Best Use of Resources (BUR) team measured the cost-effectiveness of improved economic outcomes among the treatment arms evaluated through the RCT. The cash-only treatment costs €731 per client, while mentorship treatment arms cost €1,133. Most expenses went to program supplies and activities for all treatment arms. In contrast, mentee support costs drove additional costs required for the mentorship treatment arms, which covered transport and mentor stipends. Of the total €1,623,629 spent on the project, 10% of the project costs went to HQ and internal cost recovery. Impact evaluation results for the randomized controlled trial will be available in May of 2024, at which time we will update this brief to complete the cost-effectiveness analysis results.

The IRC in Boise invites you to celebrate Idaho Human Rights Day! Join us on Saturday, January 14th from 4pm to 7pm at JUMP and participate in a variety of classes led by refugee business owners and leaders throughout the Treasure Valley.

A crucial barrier to prosperity for many refugees is a lack of credit and access to financing. To meet this challenge, the IRC launched the Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO), which offers credit building, auto, personal and business loans. As of 2023, CEO made more than 6,000 loans totaling more than $25 million to refugees across 20 states.

"A Step Forward: Lessons from Colombia’s Temporary Protection Status for Venezuelans" is a report based on IRC’s experience with the regularization process in the country, IRC assessments of humanitarian needs and integration barriers for Venezuelans in Colombia, and interviews conducted in June 2023 with IRC clients and staff across Colombia, national and local government officials, U.N. agency staff, and leaders of INGOs, civil society and businesses.

Amidst dramatic drops in refugee arrivals across the nation, the IRC in Boise headed to the Idaho State Capitol to advocate for continued support of resettlement programs and refugee communities. At the Refugee Appreciation Luncheon co-organized by the IRC in Boise, senators and representatives tasted food from refugee-owned businesses, mingling and asking questions of refugee community leaders in attendance. Meanwhile, the IRC in Boise's Advocacy Team met individually with Idaho's majority and minority leadership and the staff of congressional delegates.