Kisembo Kyaligonaz doesn’t remember before life before refugee camps.
He doesn’t remember his native country of Congo, or the violence that drove his mother to flee with her six children.
He was just three years old.
To him, home was always a structure of metal poles, ropes, and canvas. His community, mostly strangers, who bore the same label: “displaced.”
In the refugee camp, food and clean water were more precious commodities than absolutes. Disease was abundant, while education was limited.
This was Kisembo’s normal.
Then something nearly magical happened—after twelve grueling years, a door of opportunity opened for them to immigrate to the United States.
Just shy of 18 years old, Kisembo spoke no English, only Swahili, when they arrived—just one of the many “strikes” against him. His mother hadn’t been able to afford to send him to high school back in Uganda, and now he was too old to attend in the U.S.
But Kisembo wasn’t about to let these challenges stop him. With no father, he was the man of the house and carried the burden of providing for the family. His mom’s wages from her work at the chicken processing plant couldn’t support their seven-member family alone.
He applied for Job Corps, a free residential education and job training program and was accepted. There, he says, he learned English from his friends, earned his GED, and received valuable electrical career training.
Just when Kisembo was trying to figure out where to put these new skills to use, a neighbor told him about Amplio Recruiting, a staffing company specialized in helping other refugees like himself find employment. He met with Yonten Basnet at the Atlanta office, who took note of his skills and strong work ethic, and helped him apply for a suitable position.
Fast-forward five months, and Kisembo smiles with pride as he shares about his work at Accessories Unlimited. He and his team are in charge of specialized installs, ranging from bathroom stall partitions to fire extinguishers, in new constructions all across Atlanta.
“I’m [still] learning,” he shares, eager to continue growing in his role. “If there’s something I can give them, I give them. It’s all about working hard. If you don’t work hard, you’re not going to get it.”
It’s this joy, motivation, and growth mindset that have gotten Kisembo noticed by the company, who decided to hire him on permanently last month.
They treat me well,” Kisembo shares, delighted at the payoff for his hard work. “Before I got this job, I was struggling to help my mom. Now, I can take care of my family.”
“Resilient.”
“Grateful.”
“Motivated.”
These are just a few of the words our clients have used to describe employees like Kisembo who are proving their talent and grit. The evidence is clear: extending opportunities to refugees doesn’t just help refugees—it also helps the companies who hire them.
The Refugee Workforce is bringing dependability back to the American workforce.
At Amplio Recruiting, we are proud to connect companies to this untapped labor pool. Visit our website to explore our services, and learn more about the positive impact of hiring refugees at your company.
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