Refugee Advisory Board

Languages: Ukrainian, Russian, English

Originally from Ukraine, Olena has been living in Ireland with her three children since 2022, following the start of the full-scale war. Based in Galway, she works as a Support Worker and is developing her professional path as an interpreter, mediator, community activist, and wellbeing coach, with a focus on integration, emotional wellbeing, and cross-cultural connection.

She is the founder of Women for Integration and Wellbeing, a community group supporting trauma-informed integration, empathy, and wellbeing for vulnerable communities. Olena is also a Tutor of Resilience and a candidate for certification with the Center for Nonviolent Communication. Drawing on her background in yoga, somatic practice, mediation, and coaching, she leads empathy-based community initiatives that strengthen resilience, dignity, and a sense of belonging.

Languages: English,

Emmanuel was born and raised as a South Sudanese in a UNHCR-administered refugee camp in Uganda until the age of 12. His family was resettled to Ireland in 2008 through the UNHCR Family Resettlement program. The family lived in Kilkenny and became an active part of the community, playing football for local clubs and engaging with local government. Emmanuel attended both primary and secondary schools in Kilkenny. During his time in there he was heavily involved in youth and community projects working with local, national and international NGO’s, developing and implementing youth and community-oriented projects to tackle issues faced by young people across Ireland and Europe. Emmanuel joined An Garda Síochána in 2024. His areas of proficiency are policing related matters and offering advice or contact information for youth and community organisations in Ireland.

Languages: Ndebele, Shona, and English.

Arriving from Zimbabwe 7 years ago, Siphiwe is now based in Dublin City Centre. She holds a degree in Community and Youth Development with TU Dublin Blanchardstown and is currently pursuing a master's in Refugee Integration as the next step in her education. She works as a Community Development worker with Empower, as well as training to be an anti-racism facilitaor with the Irish Network Against Racism (INAR). She is also a Bereavement and Support Volunteer with Turas Le Cheile. In her spare time, Siphiwe enjoys theatre, beadwork, poetry, and chess. She is very excited about being a member of the board and is "really looking forward to getting started and making a change".

Languages: Somali, English

Asli has lived in Ireland for the past four years and brings lived experience from within the Direct Provision system. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine and a Master’s degree obtained in China, and is fluent in Somali and English, enabling her to support refugees and asylum seekers with language, access to services, and community integration.

Over the past three years, Asli has worked with Laois Partnership providing translation, practical guidance, and emotional peer support to residents in Direct Provision. She has contributed to community-building activities and advocacy efforts, including participation in Irish Refugee Advisory Board consultations in December 2023 and February 2025, and remains committed to giving back through peer-led support that strengthens dignity, wellbeing, and self-worth.

Languages: Persian, English, Urdu, Pashto, Hindi, Kurdish, German, Spanish, and some Arabic.

Arash graduated in Journalism and Media and previously worked as a TV presenter in Afghanistan. He arrived in Ireland in 2019 and currently works as a caseworker with the Irish Refugee Council. With seven years experience working with refugees, Arash has also worked with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) as a cultural mediator. He has been inspired to work in this area as a direct result of his own experience as a refugee harnessing his lived experience to advocate for people in need. Arash loves to travel and is passionate about learning new cultures and languages.

Languages: French and English

Originally from Cameroon, Carine has been living in Ireland since 2018. She is a writer, social justice advocate, feminist-humanist, and community development practitioner specialising in refugee protection, gender equality, sexual and gender-based violence prevention, and migrant integration.

In 2017, Carine founded CAD AID Foundation, which has supported over 1,500 women and girls affected by sexual and gender-based violence through direct services, community mobilisation, and integrated referral pathways across Ireland and Africa. She also serves as an African Union CIEFFA Ambassador, advocating for girls’ education and empowerment across the continent.

Carine has contributed to high-level policy consultations with government departments, community coalitions, and international organisations, including Africa Solidarity Centre Ireland, IOM, Women’s Collective Ireland (WCI) – Clare and the African Union/CIEFFA, ensuring that the voices and lived experiences of asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants inform policy and practice at every level.

She is passionate about human rights, girls’ education, migration governance, and building bridges between communities and institutions to promote dignity, fairness, and long-term integration for all. Her approach combines grassroots community work with strategic policy engagement, recognising that sustainable change requires both bottom-up mobilisation and top-down institutional commitment.

Activist, writer, and poet living in Ireland since 2014. Advocate for women's education and rights. Founder of Ballyhaunis Inclusion Project, supporting people seeking international protection and ethnic minorities in Ireland. Owodunni has received awards for her community work, including the Christine Buckley Volunteer of the Year Award. She advocates for migrant rights, women's empowerment, and social inclusion and is currently working as a New Communities Support Officer.

Languages: Arabic and English.

Originally from Syria, Radwan has been in Ireland for 9 years. Based in Portlaoise, he has extensive experience working across community development in Portlaoise and Offaly, including as a resettlement worker. At the moment he is working in the Community Department of Laois County Council. He has completed his Masters in Refugee Integration with DCU and is co-founder of Laois Integration Network, where he still volunteers his time. He holds a diploma in housing studies with the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) and is now studying Local Government studies with them. When he arrived in Ireland, Radwan noticed that certain Syrian vegetables were very hard to find. This led to his passion project, growing Syrian vegetables in multiple glasshouses around the midlands of Ireland. Radwan is particularly interested in employment issues for refugees and knows "there are a lot of people with skills and ideas, and I hope the Refugee Advisory Board can be their voice."

Languages: Arabic and English

Originally from Syria, Sabri arrived in Ireland in 2021 and is currently based in Dublin. He works as a Project Coordinator for the Gaza Initiative with the Irish Red Cross, where he supports refugee-led responses and coordinates complex humanitarian and integration-focused programmes.

Before coming to Ireland, Sabri built extensive experience working with national and international NGOs, as well as with the United Nations system, including UNDP, WHO, UNICEF and UNOPS. His work spans the Middle East and Africa, where he contributed to humanitarian response, coordination, and programme management in complex and conflict-affected settings.

Sabri holds two master’s degrees: a Master of Business Administration from Syria and a Master’s degree in Global Diplomacy from the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies. His academic and professional background informs his strong interest in refugee integration, policy coherence, and ensuring that refugee voices meaningfully shape decisions that affect their lives. Sabri is motivated to bridge international humanitarian experience with local integration realities in Ireland, and to support inclusive, dignified, and sustainable solutions for refugee communities.

Languages: Farsi, Pashto and English.

Originally from Afghanistan, Marwa has been in Ireland for six years. She lives in Lucan, Dublin with her family. She is studying law at Maynooth University.. Marwa began her Irish education at the end of first year and has a unique perspective on the education system and youth issues in Ireland. She is a volunteer with Foróige, a dedicated youth leader with the Irish Refugee Council and is pursuing her Gaisce silver medal. Marwa has experience working with the Zamir foundation, an Afghan NGO working to fight food poverty in the country. She has always wanted to work with the UN since visiting her Dad's UN office in Kabul as a young child. Marwa is an avid writer, with one of her stories being published in Correspondences, by Jessica Traynor. She is determined to "do as much as I can to have an impact on issues for the refugee people of Ireland."