International Women's Day: Celebrating Refugee Mothers

International Women’s Day celebrates women’s achievements in the social, economic, cultural and political spheres. Today, US Together recognizes beautiful, amazing, resilient refugee women. We specifically want to honor refugee mothers, such as in the story below.

Today’s highlight is the story of Kubra, a talented artist and remarkable refugee mom from Cleveland. She resettled in the United States in 2012, and is currently a client in US Together’s Refugee Microenterprise Development Program, which promotes talents and skills of refugees and immigrants and provides skill-based learning and technical assistance to help them launch their own businesses and contribute more to economic revitalization in Northeast Ohio.

Thanks to this program, Kubra launched her fine arts and painting business, where she sells her beautiful pieces in the community. Her art highlights the beauty of the Arabic language, using calligraphy to emphasize words and phrases within her paintings. Often these words are “LOVE” and “HOPE”.

Kubra is not only an artist—she also works full-time and is a single mother to her three-year-old girl. She described some of the most difficult parts of being a single mother and a refugee such as finding affordable housing and childcare. She pays for her daughter’s childcare; however, she does not have any child support. Like many other single parents, Kubra has been learning to navigate resources and opportunities as a New American and English language learner.

Kubra says that she now understands and can navigate life in America, because she learned from her friends’ experiences and challenges, and listens to advice she gets from staff at US Together. Her dream is to buy a house for her and her daughter one day, and for her daughter to go to college without debt and have an easier life than Kubra has had.

At the end of the day, all mothers want the best life and opportunities for their child, whether they are born in America or come as refugees. That’s why US Together will always support refugee women and mothers like Kubra, helping them reach their goals and dreams for themselves and their children.