JUL 20 2020
By Lauren Husband, Communications Team
What is the American Dream? Does the idea conjure images of white picket fences and homemade pies, or Hollywood Boulevard and NYC sky rises? For Majidi, and so many other refugees, the American Dream is simply being able to think past the needs of the moment— to imagine a future. For Majidi, the future he imagined had no specifics. A hope of a future just finally existed for him for the first time in over 15 years.
Majidi & Rehema’s Migration Story
When Majidi arrived at the refugee camp in Namibia, he had nothing with him but the clothes on his back. He had made the grueling journey from from war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo to finally reach safety. He did not know it at the time, but he would end up living at that camp for nearly 15 years. He spent much of that time not officially recognized as a refugee— he was stuck in limbo as an asylum seeker, which meant he did not have access to many of the resources that were available to those with official Refugee Status Determination (RSD).
It was, frankly, a hopeless place to be.
Still, Majidi made a life in Namibia. He began work at a local Islamic Center, where he was able to meet people from all different parts of the world— international exchange students, US and Namibian government officials, and travelers.
It is also where he met his wife, with whom he now has three children.
Rehema and Majidi married in 2011. It was around that time that Majidi finally gained refugee status. But it wasn’t until 2016, however, that Majidi received any contact from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Namibia was no longer accepting refugees, so the family, which had grown from two to four, had to look to a third country in which to be resettled.
Then began the arduous process of interviewing and background checks by a number of countries accepting refugees. It took about a year, but they finally received some good news— they’d been accepted for resettlement by the United States!
“People told me, ‘You will be surprised that the people people are not bad like how the U.S. government is sometimes viewed in the rest of the world. The people are different from the government.’ And they were right. It is something I am really thankful for.”
Ideas about the USA
Majidi and Rehema already had ideas about the US from Majidi’s exposure to international travelers at the Islamic Center. They knew that the United States was a place that celebrated religious freedom and economic opportunity.
But Arkansas was a different story— they had never even heard the name. Without internet in their home, they opened their world map and identified the state’s location. But where was Fayetteville? What was it like? Majidi rushed to his office, where he had internet.
Their family was the second ever to be resettled in Fayetteville by Canopy NWA. They had virtually no one to learn from about what life would be like as a refugee in Fayetteville. They had to be strong and forge new paths for other immigrants in Fayetteville to follow. All they could do was hope for the best.
They were greeted by an incredible cosponsor team from Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and what was then a small but fierce Canopy NWA staff to help them with every as they became acclimated to their new home.
The American Dream
Majidi had heard of the term ‘American Dream’ before but never really thought anything of it. During his time as an asylum seeker and refugee, he never really had the time to think about what his dreams were. He could only think of his and his family’s safety moment-by-moment. His only concern was maintaining normalcy and blending in to a society that was not his own. For him, the ability to dream was a privilege.
With Rehema’s experience and Majidi’s wisdom, Rehema and Majidi started a small business selling Swahili shoes imported from Kenya. To their pleasant surprise, they community response was great. They were making money doing something they loved— supporting African makers and enriching their new community.
Then, they started dreaming even bigger— what if they moved from selling at the Farmer’s Market and out of their home to opening a small shop? They are still working toward that dream, but they know it is possible here. In fact, Rehema just graduated from Canopy’s first Plan It! entrepreneurship class this past fall!
Along with their shoe business, they are also in the process of registering a nonprofit to help immigrants thrive in NWA by helping them start businesses. They aspire to help people internationally in refugee camps by donating second-hand clothing, which is abundant in America but scarce in many refugee camps and parts of Africa. This idea came from Majidi’s own experiences as a refugee. He was forced to wear the same clothes for weeks when he arrived to Namibia until, eventually, a container from America arrived filled with clothing, and he was invited to take what he needed. The new clothes made him feel human again. That simple act of kindness from strangers in America touched Majidi deeply. He knew then that if he were ever able, he wanted to repay the favor. Another dream.
Rehema and Majidi and their now three children will keep dreaming. And that’s the American Dream, isn’t it? The ability to simply dream.
Responses