Congolese Refugee Builds Self-Reliance Through Hairdressing Business in Mahama

From a childhood marked by war and displacement to becoming a successful barbershop owner near Mahama refugee camp, Maombi Safari, a Congolese refugee, now inspires hope in his family and those around him.

Reflecting on the positive impact of his business, Maombi shares “My family lives well, and the young people I work with are also doing well with their families.” The 34-year-old refugee is proud to have been standing on his own for the past two years, offering hairdressing, shaving, manicure, and pedicure services to both women and men.

“I started with little equipment. I kept moving slowly, but now, after two years, I’ve come a long way,” he explains.

“What made me go into the hair salon business is, first, I liked it, and second, I saw it as a path to work for myself, and self-employment seemed like the best option.”

But things have not always been that smooth. Maombi, who has been a refugee in Rwanda almost three decades, describes his tough journey as a refugee – one that pushed him to work hard with a sense of purpose. Having fled their home in 1997 when rebel wars broke out in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Maombi and his family left everything behind. They only had to rely on humanitarian assistance to survive.

“Life was difficult – sleeping, getting what to eat and wear were not easy,” he recalls.

Although UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, provided support for education, Maombi says studying was challenging for him in the refugee camp. Despite these challenges, Maombi managed to finish secondary school, where he studied tourism. However, finding a job without a university degree proved difficult.

“When I was still in the camp with nothing to do, I didn't have a good life. Being idle at home all the time felt meaningless,” he says.

He then decided to attend a short course in hairdressing as a practical way to earn a living.

At first, he worked for others to earn some income, but it wasn’t enough to sustain himself.

In 2022, Maombi was fortunate to discover “Pathways to Economic Inclusion and Self-Reliance of the Refugees and Host Communities in Rwanda through Scaling up Graduation Approach” project implemented by Caritas Rwanda in partnership with UNHCR and Denmark.

“Luckily, I ended up on the list of project beneficiaries, particularly those with potential but lacking the means,” he explains. “We received training on how to create a business plan, and we learned a lot. I realized that with the knowledge I gained, I could start a business.”

Maombi began his business with a total of 1.2 million Rwf capital, including the 800,000 Rwf he received from the graduation project and an additional 400,000 Rwf of his own funds.

“In just 2 years, you can really see the difference. Our families are doing well – we eat well, we dress well,” he explains. “If I continue to work as I am doing now, I hope to expand my business to other places like Kigali.”

Maombi says he is able to save each month after covering all expenses and providing for his family. He has also managed to buy a plot of land out of the camp where he intends to build his own house.

Maombi is one of over 1600 households from Mahama and Kiziba Camp, as well as  Rwandans living near the camps who have received grants to start their own businesses and become self-reliant.  Most of them have thrived, significantly improving the lives of their families.

In Rwanda, refugees have the right to work; however, more efforts are needed to help individuals fully realize these opportunities, as highlighted in the Government of Rwanda’s commitments at the 2019 Global Refugee Forum (GRF).

For Maombi, his hairdressing service at the barbershop is more than just a source of income – it’s a source of hope for others. He now employs four full-time and three casual refugee workers.

Working alongside the Government of Rwanda and other stakeholders UNHCR is prioritizingsustainable solutions and economic opportunities for refugees and their Rwandan hosts.