Refugee Women's Right to Self-Determination
For Women's History Month, we honor the perseverance and agency of refugee women who define their own futures, often against immense odds. This collection brings together personal stories from women who have rebuilt their lives in a new country - on their own terms. Each story reflects the power of self-determination: the freedom to choose, to lead, and to shape one’s path forward. The following five reflections are written by women who come from Ukraine, Guinea, Afghanistan, and Venezuela.
Mariia Yatsko:
When I arrived in the United States from Ukraine through humanitarian parole, my first goal was simple: keep my family safe and rebuild some sense of stability after the war. Like many displaced women, those first months were about survival - learning how systems work, navigating immigration uncertainty, and trying to create a normal life for my child in a completely new country.
But, survival is not where our stories end. For me, the shift happened when I began helping other Ukrainian families understand the complex immigration processes they were facing. What started as answering questions in my community slowly grew into organizing information sessions, translating policies, and supporting families who felt lost in a system they did not yet understand.
That experience showed me something powerful: refugee women are not only rebuilding their own lives - we are helping rebuild communities.
Over time, my work grew into broader advocacy. I authored a national petition calling for permanent residency for humanitarian parolees because families who escaped war deserve stability and the ability to plan their future. Through storytelling, community education, and engagement with policymakers, I learned that all voices, regardless of where they come from, can influence national conversations.
Receiving the Friend of Freedom Award from New American Pathways reminded me that leadership can grow from the most unexpected beginnings.
To the next generation of women in my community, I want to say: displacement does not take away your agency. Your story, your courage, and your voice can help shape a better future - not only for yourself, but for others who will come after you.
Survival is the beginning. Leadership is what we build from it.
Salimatou Diallo:
For many displaced women, survival is the only immediate goal. You focus entirely on safety, stability, and rebuilding the smallest pieces of daily life. I know this reality well. When I arrived in the United States in 2018 after being displaced from Guinea, my concerns weren’t about long-term dreams; they were about starting over, finding a footing, and learning to navigate unfamiliar systems.
Over time, that survival instinct evolved into something deeper. At first, agency meant reclaiming the small decisions: choosing where to learn, how to contribute, and how to move forward. As I grew into community work and advocacy, that agency took on a new meaning. I began showing up in rooms where conversations about communities like mine were happening. Even on the days I felt like my voice didn’t belong, I stayed, because the journey itself carried a purpose.
Agency is now my primary source of direction. It is the tool that allows displaced women to move beyond being defined by their hardships and instead participate in shaping their surroundings. And I have gotten to see the power unleashed when women realize their lived experiences are forms of leadership and knowledge.
If I could leave one message for the next generation of women rebuilding their lives, it is this: Your circumstances may shape your story, but they do not define your future. When you claim your agency, you reclaim the power to rebuild not just your own life, but the world around you.
Anita Omary:
For many refugee women, life often begins with survival. When I first arrived in the United States from Afghanistan, survival meant learning a new language, understanding a new culture, and rebuilding a life from the beginning. During that time, I focused on small steps: finding work, continuing my education, and creating stability for my family. But at some point, I realized that I was no longer only surviving; I was beginning to truly live.
To me, truly living means having the freedom to choose your path and the courage to pursue it. One achievement I am especially proud of is continuing my education in the United States and becoming actively involved in community work that supports refugees and immigrants. Through my work and public speaking, I try to share stories that inspire others and bring attention to the challenges and strengths of displaced women.
None of this would have been possible without resilience, support from people who believed in me, and the determination to move forward despite uncertainty. Every step forward represents not only my own journey, but also the hopes of many women who are still struggling to find their voice.
To the next generation of women in my community, I want to say: your past does not define your limits. Even in the face of displacement, hardship, or loss, you still have the power to shape your future. Believe in your strength, pursue education, support one another, and never stop dreaming about the life you deserve.
Sarwat Najib Azad:
Born in Afghanistan, I spent my early youth in Pakistan. In 2012, I returned to Afghanistan with hope that my country was entering a new era of peace and opportunity. Instead, daily violence and uncertainty quickly taught me what it meant to live in survival mode. I began working with women, helping them develop practical skills that could lead to independence. I also founded a small clothing brand to create employment for women while preserving traditional textile arts and embroidery. What began as a modest effort grew into a source of hope for women supporting their families and building their futures.
In 2021, with the fall of Kabul, years of progress collapsed overnight, and my family and I were forced to leave our home. We spent six months in refugee camps before arriving in the U.S. Stepping onto American soil brought a sense of peace and freedom I had rarely experienced. However, at community events and World Refugee Day gatherings, I met women facing isolation due to language barriers, fear, and the loss of their professional identities. Their stories reminded me that survival alone is not enough - people also need opportunity and belonging.
In Wisconsin, I started a women’s skill-development program. With the support of volunteers, local churches, and community organizations, we created a space where refugee women could learn sewing, embroidery, crafts, and basic business skills. Through workshops and events, many began building small businesses and rediscovering their independence. Watching women regain confidence, financial independence, and hope has been one of the proudest moments of my journey.
Today, alongside this work, I have restarted my clothing brand as an LLC and contribute to a nonprofit supporting immigrants through skills training and education. My journey has taught me that true empowerment is not only about overcoming hardship; but about creating space for others to rise with you.
Andreina Zuluaga:
To truly live as an immigrant is to learn how to overcome barriers and to follow the dreams we carry as a generation. Some of the most defining moments in my journey came when I was able to reunite with my family after four long years of waiting. At that moment, I understood that resilience is not just survival, it is transformation. And as I began to develop my career, I realized I was no longer just navigating life; I was stepping into purpose, into agency, into a life I was called to lead.
I have many reasons to feel proud of what I have achieved, but beyond every milestone are the processes that shaped me. In 2024, I published my first poetry book "Alfabeto" (alphabet in English) an anthology from A to Z, inspired by the letters of the alphabet and my name capturing love, migration, adaptation, and the deep nostalgia of missing home. I also completed my Master in Social Work, a goal made possible through community, faith, and countless hours of service. During the pandemic, I had the privilege of leading emotional support groups for immigrants, walking alongside others as they faced grief, anxiety, and the weight of starting over.
This is where women’s self-agency becomes essential. It is the decision to no longer shrink, to no longer apologize for your story, but to rise from it. My legacy is to help women, especially immigrant women, stop feeling ashamed of where they come from and start leading from that place with strength and clarity. If you are ready to move from survival to intentional living, I invite you to step into this process with me. Believe in God, believe in yourself, embrace your story, and lead your process. Your transformation starts when you decide.
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The Refugee Storytellers Collective and our partners are committed to uplifting refugee women, not only during Women’s History Month, but year-round.
