In April 2022, the Biden administration announced that people fleeing Ukraine would be eligible for humanitarian parole in the U.S. with a sponsor. Soon after, Yuri Milner’s non-profit Tech For Refugees partnered with the national initiative Welcome.US, funding its efforts to support sponsors welcoming newcomers.
Welcome.US and Tech For Refugees recently announced the next stage in their partnership: a new grant to develop the sponsorship platform Welcome Connect.
Empowering Everyday People to Support Refugees
For three years, Welcome.US has united and inspired people in the U.S. to help refugees from various countries. The initiative seeks to transform the goodwill of everyday citizens into lasting support for newcomers.
Welcome.US unveiled Welcome Connect in June 2022 on World Refugee Day. The platform helps people connect and talk with those seeking refuge in the U.S.
Two years on, Welcome Connect has helped welcome over 500,000 refugees. The platform has empowered U.S. communities in all 50 states to contribute more than $7 billion in time and resources to sponsorship efforts.
Further funding from Tech For Refugees is set to enhance Welcome Connect’s impact. Thanks to the new grant, the platform will soon offer sponsors and beneficiaries a broader range of support and resources. The improved platform will serve as a comprehensive hub, making the resettlement experience easier and more efficient for everyone involved.
Welcome.US CEO Nazanin Ash said the collaboration with Tech For Refugees is “inspiring communities to act.” She noted the partnership’s positive impact on the refugees and the sponsors who help them find safety.
Finding Acceptance: Rebeca Castro’s Story
There are countless Welcome.US success stories of people who have sponsored newcomers from countries worldwide. Rebeca Castro’s story highlights the incredible gift of acceptance and freedom sponsors can offer refugees.
Castro fled her home country of El Salvador due to the discrimination and bullying she faced as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Thousands of El Salvadorans seek refuge in the U.S. every year because they fear persecution based on their sexual identity.
In June 2023, Castro sought assistance from the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and applied for asylum. The UNHCR warned Castro that the process could take years. However, six months later she was granted asylum and left El Salvador to start a new life in the U.S.
A private sponsor group of five called Uhuru — which means freedom in Swahili — welcomed Castro when she arrived in Boston. Some of Uhuru are musicians and members of Coro Allegro, the award-winning LGBTQ+ and allied classic chorus.
Lead sponsor John Abdallah Wambere is a Ugandan refugee and a long-time community activist. Having devoted 25 years to public service, his experience of seeking asylum in the U.S. has helped him understand people’s basic needs when arriving in a new country.
Castro says she is “very happy” in Boston, where she’s “found so many nice people — angels who have assisted me — guiding me.” She says helping others is “the best thing you could do in the world.”
About Tech For Refugees
Giving Pledge philanthropists Julia and Yuri Milner founded Tech For Refugees in 2022. The non-profit initiative helps finance the tech-powered programmes of its partner organisations. Tech For Refugees’ partners include Uber, Spotify, the International Rescue Committee, and Flexport.org.
The Milners’ Breakthrough Foundation funds Tech For Refugees and other non-profit projects, like the Breakthrough Prize. Launched in 2012, the Breakthrough Prize celebrates the modern heroes of science and mathematics. The Breakthrough Foundation also sponsors the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, a science competition for young people.
The year before launching Tech For Refugees, Yuri Milner wrote the short book Eureka Manifesto: The Mission for our Civilisation. In the manifesto, he lays out his belief that a shared mission can bring humanity together and help us thrive far into the future.
