our team
coalition members
daria jamil | Basmeh & Zeitooneh
Daria Jamil has nine years of experience working in humanitarian and development fields in local refugee-led organizations in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Turkey. She holds two master’s degrees in managing industrial and environmental risks. After having to leave Syria in 2013, she joined Basmeh & Zeitooneh (B&Z) as a volunteer teacher in the B&Z learning program for refugee children. Currently, Daria is the chief development officer at Basmeh & Zeitooneh.
dEEPA NAMBIAR | ASYLUM ACCESS
Deepa Nambiar is a refugee human rights and systems change advocate. She is Asylum Access Global's Director of Partnerships, where she works to build equitable partnerships that challenge colonial ways of working, advance refugee human rights locally, and transfer power, resources and opportunities directly to those most affected by forced displacement. Deepa was also the founding Director of Asylum Access Malaysia, where she led the development of its legal empowerment, advocacy and community outreach programs. She previously practiced as a lawyer, has worked for the International Detention Coalition and UNHCR, and currently sits as Co-Chair of Pledge for Change's Equitable Partnerships Working Group. She holds an LL.B, and LL.M in international human rights law. She is based in Spain, where she enjoys endless chats over coffee and going for walks with her dog, Boomer
ibrahim abou senna | stars
Ibrahim Abou Senna is a lawyer specializing in mandate refugee status determination, resettlement, and protection legal aid. Ibrahim has led the Refugee Legal Aid Department at StARS for more than five years. At StARS, he has developed and expanded the range of StARS legal aid services, to include resettlement through complementary pathways, and specialized legal services for unaccompanied children. Ibrahim oversees the training of refugee paralegals working in communities across greater Cairo, and has established a recruitment program for refugee legal representatives working on mandate RSD.
lublanc prieto | refugiados unidos
Lublanc Prieto is a Venezuelan refugee, lawyer, human rights activist and expert on migration and refugee issues. She fled Venezuela for health reasons and political persecution and today is a founding member of Refugiados Unidos. For more than six years, she has led projects with organizations in Latin America serving refugee communities, including during COVID-19, and has dedicated herself to work in the attention and strengthening of the rights of the Venezuelan population in Colombia.
mozhgan moarefizadeh | raic indonesia
Mozhgan Moarefizadeh founded the Refugees and Asylum Seekers Information Center (RAIC Indonesia) in 2017 and coordinates multiple programs in support of refugee communities. Mozhgan’s advocacy work includes opinion pieces, information sessions, and speaking at events and conferences. Mozhgan is the co-host of “The Wait,” a critically acclaimed five-part documentary podcast that brings the listener into the lives of refugee communities like never before. For the last eight years, Mozhgan has been living as a refugee in Indonesia.
robert hakiza | yarid
Robert Hakiza is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Young African Refugees for Integral Development (YARID). Robert’s leadership draws on his experiences from work with Oxford University’s Humanitarian Innovation Project and his role as a Steering Committee member representing Africa for the Global Refugee-Led Network. He has dedicated his life to working with urban refugees and educating others about the obstacles refugees face — an experience with which he is intimately familiar as a refugee from Congo living in Uganda since 2008.
implementation team
DAVIS ONJORO | ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Davis supports RRLI team members to complete program activities that foster accessibility and inclusivity. He focuses on providing logistical support, grantmaking administration, financial administration, and other administrative tasks. As a survivor of forceful displacement in the 2007-2008 post-election violence in Kenya, Davis believes that refugees should have a seat at the decision-making table and take a leading role in developing and implementing solutions within their communities, considering that they have a better understanding of their communities’ needs, challenges faced by their communities, and potential solutions to such challenges. Davis holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, majoring in Finance and Banking and is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA-K). Davis is currently based in Kenya, and he is passionate about abstract art.
GABRIELLA KALLAS | DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND STRATEGY
Gabriella centers the design and implementation of inclusive processes and ways of working at RRLI as Director of Operations and Strategy. Before joining RRLI full-time, Gabriella worked at Asylum Access in several roles, including acting as a key member in the launch of RRLI as Senior Advisor. They have also worked supporting immigrant and refugee communities and survivors of sexual assault through community initiatives in a range of contexts, and ground their work in the power of grassroots movements. They hold a BA in American Studies, and an MSc with Distinction in International Migration and Public Policy. They are currently based in their native New York, where they love to enjoy all of the art, food, community, and dancing that the city provides.
Graham Kembo | Communications Coordinator
Graham coordinates RRLI’s communications with partners, supporters and the wider public. He is driven by a strong passion and desire to effect positive change in the world, particularly through responding to forced displacement. He has experience in Digital communication and he believes that technology is a powerful tool in communication and if used properly, it can expedite the much needed change in our world today. Graham is currently based in Zimbabwe and he loves reading current affairs and also enjoys playing tennis and swimming.
Hane ALrUstm | DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS
Hane is the Director of Programs at RRLI and as a person of displacement, Hane believes that solutions come from within the displaced communities and this is what motivated him to join the team. Prior to joining RRLI, Hane was involved in a lot of movements including co-founding SHiFT social innovation Hub in the north of Lebanon, in which he led its Mental Health and Psycho-social component. While there he designed and launched the MHPSS intervention after the Beirut Blast in 2020. In 2017, he founded SADA troupe for playback theatre which aimed to establish a safe platform where communities can express their narratives, memories, fears, and aspirations before experiencing them coming alive on stage. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Master’s degree in theater studies. Hane is currently based in Belgium and he is passionate about theater, Arts and he loves Animals.
julius oyugi | finance manager
Julius is the Finance Manager for RRLI and he is a strong communicator who has a keen sense of fun, as well as the talent and drive to be the best. He has an excellent understanding of the latest accounting and financial concepts in both NGOs and profit-making enterprises. He has over 7 years of experience working in the humanitarian sector with NGOs and various donor agencies. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Business Administration and he holds a Master's Degree in Project Planning & Management, BSc in Human Resource Management, Certified Public Accountant Kenya (CPA-K) and management training with similar experience in policy review, development and implementation. Julius is currently based in Kenya and during his free time he enjoys playing hockey, travelling, hiking, reading novels and watching documentaries.
MARY GITAHI | program officer
Mary is a social innovator with over 5-years of experience in Community Development and is passionate about refugee governance and meaningful inclusion of displaced communities in the
humanitarian sector. Her experience as a displaced person drives her advocacy on migration and
human rights. She has a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Makerere University
Uganda and a major in International Business Management. She worked with Local
Engagement Refugee Research Network and Research Study Center Oxford as a research lead in
Uganda on the study “Evaluation of Refugee-Led Organisations in East Africa. Mary also served as the
country lead for the Kuja Kuja Uganda Community Feedback program by Alight Uganda
(Formerly American Refugee Committee) for three years, where she supported the exchange of
feedback between refugee communities and Aid organizations. She led a Women Computer
Literacy Program and has continuously volunteered with Refugee-Led Organisations as an
administrative and public relations officer. Mary is a steering committee member at Just, Tech
and Migration community which works to address the growing harms caused by digital
technology deployed in asylum and migration spaces.
MOHAMED AHMED | DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS
Mohamed Ahmed began working in the field of forced displacement in 2016 when he first became a displaced person. He has participated and led in designing and managing projects of different sizes and scopes aimed to help refugee populations of different backgrounds. He is a detail-oriented individual with good analytical skills, and a passion for advocating for refugee leadership. In his current position, he is heavily involved in developing RRLI strategies for fundraising, advocacy, and evidence generation. Mohamed believes in compassion, empathy, and a genuine love for human beings. He believes that integrity is crucial in achieving justice. And he believes that the leadership of refugees is indispensable in driving transformation toward the displacement crisis worldwide. Since his childhood, Mohamed likes to write and has published several articles; he is hopeful to publish his first novel in the future. Outside work, he loves to play football and cook. Mohamed dreams of a world where all people have equal rights and freedom; a world where everyone has an equal opportunity to reach their full potential and achieve their goals; a world where all people have agency over their lives and live in dignity.