OUR MISSION
Refugee Women's Network inspires and equips refugee and immigrant women to become leaders in their homes, businesses, and communities.
Refugee Women’s Network (RWN) is a 501c3 organization serving refugees resettled in the state of Georgia. RWN inspires and equips refugee and immigrant women to become leaders in their homes, businesses, and communities. For more than 20 years, we’ve continued to be the only organization in Georgia that specifically serves refugee women.
RWN’s spectrum of services meets women where they are; whether they’ve been in the US for three months or thirty years. Whether they need help enrolling their children in school or they’re preparing to open their own business, we help women on their journey to become independent and self-sufficient.
Meet the Team
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Sushma Barakoti
Executive Director
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from India and Masters in social work from Marywood University in Pennsylvania. Sushma believes in feminist philosophy and practices participatory approach of community development to empower women, men and children. She has been instrumental in growing the programs, staff and revenues at RWN significantly to enhance access to services for refugee and immigrant families, especially women. Sushma loves gardening in her free time and loves exploring the great outdoors with her husband, daughter and son.
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Anquenetta Kenon
Operations Manager
Anquenetta is the Operations Manager at Refugee Women's Network. Drawing from over 10+ years in nonprofit experience, she designs processes and creates solutions to ensure that RWN and its employees can continue to flourish. Outside of work, Anquenetta enjoys reading, gaming, and spending time with cherished family and friends.
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Temple Moore
Program Director of Community Health Promotion and Civic Engagement
Temple holds a Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy from Brenau University and a Master of Science in Global Health from University of College London. Certified in Global Mental Health and Refugee Trauma from the Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma, she has designed and implemented psychosocial programming and participatory research with displaced persons. Fun fact: Temple volunteered in Greece during the 2015-16 Refugee Crisis. She has 3 cats and a dog.
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Marmar Stewart
Chef’s Club Program Manager
Marmar Stewart is the Program Manager of Entrepreneurship and Development at Refugee Women’s Network. She is leading the Chefs’ Club Program at RWN, which is a program that helps women start their own food businesses. Through Chefs’ Club she has guided over 50 chefs from Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Somalia, Kurdistan, Bhutan, South Sudan, and more. She has a passion for helping women work towards financial independence and to become future business women.
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Pabitra Poudyel
Social Adjustment Program Manager
Pabitra is a very dedicated program manager at RWN helping refugee community in GA. She has been volunteering at her Bhutanese American Community for over two decades. She likes gardening, hiking and reading.
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Awaz Jabari
Economic Empowerment Program Manager
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Sabita Gyawali
Administrative Assistant
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Fariha Alam
Community Health Promotion Program Coordinator
Fariha is a passionate community health specialist with a BSc in Public Health from the University of Georgia. She has worked in the nonprofit setting for her entire career and aims to continue advocating for the benefits of vulnerable and displaced populations. In her free time she paints, hikes, and spends time with her 2 rabbits and 1 cat.
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Marhaba Alokozai
Youth Program Coordinator and Community Health Promoter
Marhaba Alokozai was born in 1996 in the Logar Province of Afghanistan. She obtained a bachelor’s in English Language and Literature at Kabul International University. Marhaba holds a passion for community work and supporting vulnerable women, which she has the opportunity to do with the Refugee Women’s Network. Now, she works as a community outreach worker in the Youth Development Program at the Refugee Women Network as well as serving as a Community Health Promoter.
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Meena Khodayar
Economic Empowerment Program Coordinator
Meena holds a BA in Information Technology (DIT) and an AS in Psychology. Meena has worked in the nonprofit realm for over six years and holds a deep commitment to helping others and making a positive impact in her community. Outside of her professional pursuits, she enjoys reading, nature walks, and writing novels.
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Zuhal Sayed
Social Adjustment Program Coordinator
Zuhal possesses a Bachelor's degree in Biology and harbors ambitions of becoming a surgeon. She is passionately dedicated to applying her expertise to benefit others. At RWN, she holds the role of Social Adjustment Program and Leadership Coordinator, where she cultivates growth and empowerment by aiding individuals in overcoming obstacles and acquiring essential life skills. Zuhal is fluent in four languages and has a passion for the culinary arts, where she enjoys experimenting with new recipes. In her free time, she also loves swimming and shopping.
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Muzhda Yousufzai
Community Outreach Worker
Muzhda graduated from Kabul University with a degree in Psychology, and is thrilled to be a part of RWN as a Community Outreach Worker. In her free time, she enjoys various activities such as swimming, shopping, cycling, and spending time outdoors with friends.
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Muna Ali
Case Manager and Community Health Promoter
Muna Ali was born and raised in Dubai UAE. I serve as a Health Community case manager for the Arab community here at RWN. She is a TV show fanatic who’s probably gone through hundreds of series!
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Asmaa Yousif
Case Manager
Asmaa is originally from Iraq and speaks Arabic. She has an MA in LIS from Al -Mustansiriya University in Iraq. She has been working with RWN for more than 7 years as a case manager with the Arab community helping them to start a new life in the US to support themselves and their families. In her free time, she loves to garden, crochet, and paint.
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Yuliia Vozniak
Community Outreach Worker
Yulia Vozniak is community outreach worker. She came to the USA from Ukraine in January 2023. He job is to help Ukrainian women in adaptation to new life here in the USA. Funny fact about me: I can eat raw onion like an apple!
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Shahed Waheeb
Career Pathways Program Coordinator
Shahed is from Iraq and speaks Arabic. She graduated from Georgia State University with a degree in Chemistry, and has been doing community work for 10 years, serving her community through different organizations. She has had the pleasure of working in the Economic Empowerment Program at RWN for the last year!
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Memory Kapapa
Community Health Worker
Memory is a full-time community health promoter with the Refugee Women's Network. Part-time at the HUB Resource Center. She recently obtained her CHW certification, but her ultimate goal is to pursue a social work degree. She enjoys cooking and learning about various foods and cultures.
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Maryan Mohamoud
Community Health Promoter
Maryan Mohamoud is a 24 year old Clarkston native. She is a science enthusiast, mother, and most importantly a coffee lover. She has been blessed to work with her Somali community as a health promoter for the last two years, serving as the Civic Engagement Coordinator, as well as lead Lending Circles Credit class at RWN. She is currently in preparation to attend medical school.
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Hawa Bello
Community Outreach and Community Health Promoter
Hawa Bello is from the Central African Republic and works as a community health promoter and outreach worker at RWN, where she assists clients from the Central African Republic and Chad. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Public Health from Georgia State University. In her free time, Hawa loves to crochet and has a strong love for rabbits.
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Kamona Malembo
Community Outreach and Community Health Promoter
Kamona’s academic background is in Management and Supervisory Development studies. Kamona is originally from the D.R.C (Congo) and can speak French, Swahili, Lingala and English. She works at the Refugee Women’s Network as a health promoter and outreach worker for the Congolese community in Clarkston. She enjoys volunteering in her community, event planning, traveling, reading and spending time with her family.
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Gaby Duran
Community Health Worker
Gaby works as a health coordinator for the Latino community at the Refugee Women’s Network. She tries to ensure that the women she serves feel supported, that they do not feel alone, that they are encouraged to improve themselves and achieve everything they set their minds to. She feels indebted to RWN for letting her serve her community as well as providing her a social support network of her own.
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Esther Hau Dim
Community Health Promoter
Esther moved to Atlanta as a refugee from Burma and graduated with a bachelor's degree in management from Kennesaw State University in 2020. She began working for RWN in October 2023 with a goal to offer extensive support to refugee families in navigating healthcare. Esther is incredibly compassionate about the well-being of her community and wants to make a difference in all the lives she comes in contact with through her work at RWN and her roles within the DeKalb County School District.
Meet the Board
a huge thanks to our partners and donors