In an increasingly globalized world, immigration continues to shape the economic, cultural, and social fabric of nations. Yet, millions of immigrants and refugees face entrenched barriers to opportunity, mobility, and inclusion. The Mariam Assefa Fund exists to change that—not by providing temporary aid or handouts, but by supporting systemic change that reimagines how society embraces and supports newcomers.
In this comprehensive blog, we explore in detail the core issues the Fund seeks to address, why these challenges matter, and how the Fund’s strategic investments are transforming outcomes for immigrants, refugees, and marginalized communities in North America.
🌍 At a Glance: The Fund’s Mission
The Mariam Assefa Fund is rooted in a bold vision:
To build inclusive economies and communities where immigrants and refugees can thrive, lead, and drive change. Rather than working within flawed systems, the Fund invests in initiatives that transform systems from the inside out.
Its priorities revolve around economic justice, racial equity, workforce inclusion, and community empowerment—particularly for people who are too often excluded from opportunity.
🔍 Key Issues the Fund Addresses
Let’s take a detailed look at the main social and structural challenges that the Fund seeks to tackle, through partnerships, grants, research, and community-driven solutions.
1. 🧱 Systemic Barriers to Workforce Participation
One of the most pressing challenges faced by immigrants and refugees is the inability to access meaningful employment that reflects their skills, education, and potential.
The Problem:
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Credential devaluation—degrees from other countries are not recognized
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Licensing barriers—professionals like doctors or engineers must often requalify entirely
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Language or cultural biases in hiring
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Work authorization and visa challenges
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Underemployment in low-wage, insecure jobs
The Fund’s Response:
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Supports programs that improve access to licensing and credential recognition
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Invests in inclusive hiring practices and employer accountability
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Promotes upskilling and career pathways for newcomers
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Funds innovations in workforce equity and job market navigation
2. 🎓 Foreign Credential Recognition Challenges
Many immigrants arrive in North America with academic qualifications and professional training from other countries. However, credentials are often not accepted, leading to loss of earning potential and professional identity.
The Problem:
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Long and expensive credential evaluation processes
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Lack of support from institutions and employers
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Inconsistent standards across evaluation agencies and industries
The Fund’s Response:
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Funds advocacy and research to streamline recognition processes
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Supports digital tools and nonprofits helping with transcript access
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Collaborates with education and licensing bodies to reform outdated policies
FACTS Transcripts, for example, plays a critical role here by providing university-sealed academic records necessary for WES, CES, ICAS, and similar agencies.
3. ⚖️ Racial and Economic Inequity
Immigrants and refugees—especially those who are Black, brown, Indigenous, or from historically excluded regions—face intersecting forms of discrimination and exclusion.
The Problem:
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Structural racism in employment, education, and public services
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Disproportionate impact of poverty and exploitation on immigrant communities
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Unequal representation in leadership and policy-making
The Fund’s Response:
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Prioritizes immigrant- and refugee-led organizations
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Invests in coalitions addressing anti-Black racism, Islamophobia, and xenophobia
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Funds projects aimed at redistributing power and narrative ownership
4. 📢 Lack of Immigrant and Refugee Leadership in Decision-Making
Despite their lived experience and community knowledge, immigrants and refugees are underrepresented in positions of leadership and influence.
The Problem:
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Philanthropy often overlooks grassroots or immigrant-led efforts
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Leadership programs rarely center newcomers
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Funding and resources are inaccessible to newer, community-based groups
The Fund’s Response:
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Directly funds organizations founded and led by immigrants and refugees
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Supports leadership development initiatives for migrant youth and professionals
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Fosters power-building and storytelling initiatives that shift narratives
5. 🏛️ Restrictive Immigration and Labor Policies
Many immigrants face bureaucratic hurdles that delay family reunification, block work access, or trap them in temporary or precarious legal statuses.
The Problem:
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Exploitative guest worker programs
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Delays in visa and asylum processing
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Inflexible legal frameworks that prevent skill utilization
The Fund’s Response:
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Supports legal and policy advocacy to protect migrant rights
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Invests in research to inform humane and inclusive immigration policies
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Funds campaigns that elevate community voices in lawmaking
6. 🧠 Mental Health and Social Isolation
Migration can be traumatic. Many newcomers experience isolation, discrimination, and mental health challenges, yet services are inaccessible or culturally inappropriate.
The Problem:
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Language and cultural gaps in care
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Stigma around mental health
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Underserved immigrant neighborhoods
The Fund’s Response:
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Supports holistic and community-rooted mental health programs
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Funds organizations working on wellbeing and cultural healing
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Promotes whole-person care models for refugees and migrants
7. 🏘️ Lack of Safe and Affordable Housing
Immigrants—especially recent arrivals and refugees—struggle with unaffordable or unsafe housing.
The Problem:
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Rising urban housing costs
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Discrimination in rental markets
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Ineligibility for housing subsidies
The Fund’s Response:
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Supports housing justice campaigns led by migrant groups
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Invests in partnerships between immigrant organizations and housing cooperatives
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Fosters dialogue between urban planners, policymakers, and migrant advocates
📈 Intersectionality: Tackling Multiple Issues at Once
The Fund recognizes that immigrant experiences are not one-size-fits-all. Issues like gender identity, sexual orientation, age, legal status, race, and class intersect to compound exclusion.
Therefore, many of the Fund’s grantees work at multiple intersections, such as:
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LGBTQ+ refugee support
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Undocumented youth education access
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Black immigrant maternal health
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Indigenous-migrant solidarity networks
By addressing complexity head-on, the Fund encourages nuanced, inclusive solutions that serve the full spectrum of the immigrant experience.
🛠️ How FACTS Transcripts Supports the Fund’s Vision
At the heart of many of the issues above—especially workforce access and credential recognition—is the need for verified academic documentation.
FACTS Transcripts plays an essential role in solving these challenges by offering:
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Seamless retrieval of official transcripts from Indian and international universities
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University-sealed documents accepted by global credential agencies
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Support for WES, ICAS, CES, IQAS, and more
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Fast, reliable processing with global delivery options
For nonprofits and coalitions supported by the Fund, FACTS provides critical infrastructure that empowers immigrants to move forward confidently and credibly.
📋 Final Thoughts: From Issues to Action
The Mariam Assefa Fund doesn’t just identify problems—it funds solutions that are led by communities, rooted in justice, and built to last.
Whether the issue is credential access, workforce discrimination, or lack of representation, the Fund believes that immigrants and refugees should not just be supported—they should be the ones designing the systems that support everyone.
If you’re an organization or leader tackling these challenges in innovative ways, the Fund may be the partner you need.
Our Services – FACTS Transcripts
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