The Beauty of Economic Empowerment

Seven years after arriving in the United States from Afghanistan, Rabia* had built a stable life in Virginia and a rewarding career with a nonprofit organization. But she still had another dream. She always had a passion for beauty, and she wanted to turn her hobby into a business.

After months of hard work, Rabia realized her dream and launched a beauty consulting and services company, offering customized makeup services for bridal, event, and special-occasion clients. But as demand grew for her services, she faced a challenge familiar to many small business owners: securing the funding needed to grow.

For entrepreneurs like Rabia, access to capital can be one of the biggest barriers to starting and expanding a business. Even with a steady income, a strong business idea, or years of professional experience, many find that limited credit history and unfamiliarity with the U.S. financial system make securing traditional financing almost impossible.

Global Refuge created New American Lending to bridge that gap and foster entrepreneurship and financial empowerment within immigrant and refugee communities. Through personal and business loans, New American Lending helps entrepreneurs invest in their goals, build financial stability, and pursue new opportunities for themselves and their families.

Rabia was able to secure a New American Lending business loan to invest in professional makeup products, content creation equipment, branding, and expanded services. The funding helped her strengthen her business to meet growing demand.

“This has given me a stronger sense of purpose and optimism,” Rabia said. “It has shown me that with the right opportunities, I can build a successful career and be financially independent.”

Rabia believes Global Refuge programs like New American Lending are critically important because they help immigrants and refugees build brighter futures for their families and strengthen the fabric of our country.

As she continues growing her business, Rabia hopes her journey will encourage other women to pursue their own goals. At a time when more women entrepreneurs are using New American Lending to launch and expand businesses of their own, she hopes her experience demonstrates what can be possible when talented people have access to the resources they need to succeed.

“I hope that I’ll be able to inspire and support others the way this program has supported me.” 

*Name changed for privacy.