Refugee Voices

A Look into the Lives of Refugees

Refugees are valuable teachers.


Refugees are better prepared than most of us for the future of work and the challenges of tomorrow – they are already facing them.

REFUGEE VOICES

A Look into the Lives of Refugees

Refugees are valuable teachers. Refugees are better prepared than most of us for the future of work and the challenges of tomorrow – they are already facing them.

At NaTakallam, behind each Language Partner is a personal story of displacement, resilience and hope. Now, our trained professionals from refugee backgrounds are ready to share their knowledge.

Whether you’re looking for ways to improve team engagement and embed DEI principles into your workforce day to day, aiming to bring a unique perspective into the classroom beyond language learning, or simply curious, we tailor our sessions to suit your needs. We’ll bring the language, culture and stories of refugees directly to you with our unique and curated programs – co-created to make sure you reach your goals!

At NaTakallam, behind each Language Partner is a personal story of displacement, resilience and hope. Now, our trained professionals from refugee backgrounds are ready to share their knowledge.

Whether you’re looking for ways to improve team engagement and embed DEI principles into your workforce day to day, aiming to bring a unique perspective into the classroom beyond language learning, or simply curious, we tailor our sessions to suit your needs. We’ll bring the language, culture and stories of refugees directly to you with our unique and curated programs – co-created to make sure you reach your goals!

REFUGEE VOICES

Language Partners

Pavel

ORIGIN: Venezuela
LOCATION: Argentina

Pavel is originally from Valencia, Venezuela, where he studied Modern Languages and Psychology. Due to political conflict and unsafe conditions, he had to leave his degree unfinished and relocate to La Plata, Argentina. Passionate about teaching languages, and sharing his culture, Pavel is a dynamic voice for change in any setting.

Marianela

ORIGIN: Venezuela
LOCATION: Argentina

Marianela was living in Merida, Venezuela when she decided to move to San Jose, Costa Rica due to conflict and political persecution in her home country. Previously, Marianela taught Spanish and owned an adventure tourism agency. She loves to travel, meet people from different countries, talk and learn about their culture and interests, and is an ecologist and a passionate recycler.

GET STARTED

How It Works

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Choose your cadence:

  • Annual, Quarterly or 1 time event
  • Team building events and Organizational milestone markers

Choose your setup:

  • Fully Remote
  • Hybrid – we present virtually, your team Is In a physical event space

Start a conversation!

  • Annual, Quarterly or 1 time event
  • Team building events and Organizational milestone markers

Choose your setup:

  • Fully Remote
  • Hybrid – we present virtually, your team Is In a physical event space

Start a conversation!

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

Invite our Co-Founder to your Events

Include an appearance from Aline Sara, an experienced speaker at events such as TechCrunch, the World Bank or Falling Walls, for an even deeper dive into the creation of NaTakallam from the ground up.

Aline Sara is the co-founder and CEO of NaTakallam, an award-winning social enterprise that hires displaced & conflict-affected persons and their host community members as online language tutors, teachers, and translators. With a background in journalism and human rights, Aline is working to disrupt the ways in which we typically think of humanitarian aid and leverage the digital economy to promote sustainable solutions to major crises such as forced migration.
In 2015, in light of the challenging work situation for the million+ Syrian refugees in Lebanon, and while searching for ways to practice her own Arabic skills, Aline came up with the idea for NaTakallam, which has grown into a global social enterprise working in multiple languages and communities.

TESTIMONIALS

Clients

Get Started

Whether you’re seeking translation support, training for your
team, or a complement to your curriculum, we’re here to help.


Contact us for a consultation or quote today.

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Name: Marianela
Language: Spanish
Origin: Venezuela
Current Location: Argentina
Focus Topic(s): Personal Story, Gender
“It’s a great feeling to feel part of a community like NaTakallam. It is a sense of belonging and the security of a good job that I really like and am proud of.”
Marianela, originally from Venezuela, is a former adventure tourism entrepreneur. She fled Venezuela due to conflict, seeking safety in Costa Rica, but faced further unexpected challenges, including rejection and age discrimination. “Living in another country, not by choice but by force, brings anger, helplessness, and loneliness,” she shares. Still, Marianela never gave up. She’s proud to have raised a daughter on her own, traveled widely, and recently fulfilled another dream—working as a remote interpreter for migrants. Now based in Buenos Aires, she brings warmth, cultural curiosity, and her passion for ecology and recycling to every class. Her life is a testament to strength, dignity, and the power of starting over.
Name: Hadiya
Language: Arabic (Levantine Dialects & Modern Standard Arabic) & Kurdish (Kurmanji)
Origin: Syria
Current Location: Netherlands
Focus Topic(s): Personal story, Gender, Politics & Human rights
“Never give up.”
With this motto, Hadiya has faced war, illness, and displacement with remarkable strength. Originally from Qamishli, Syria, she gave birth at the onset of the Syrian civil war and soon after had to flee to Iraqi Kurdistan for life-saving cancer treatment, leaving her newborn daughter behind. Diagnosed with leukemia, she spent over a year in and out of hospitals before reuniting with her child. Life in a refugee camp followed, but Hadiya remained hopeful, volunteering to support others with similar struggles. After years of uncertainty, her husband reached the Netherlands and the family was eventually reunited. Now based in the Netherlands with her two children, Hadiya draws on her past as a social worker and her degree in English Literature to teach with compassion and purpose. She brings her love of reading, basketball, and zumba, and her incredible resilience, to every conversation.
Name: Pavel
Language: Spanish
Origin: Venezuela
Current Location: Argentina
Focus Topic(s): Politics & human rights
“It’s about living, not just surviving.”
For Pavel – originally from Valencia in Venezuela – this belief became the driving force behind his decade-long journey to a better life. Political turmoil, economic instability, and daily injustices forced him to flee home – pausing his studies in Modern Languages and Psychology – and relocate to La Plata, Argentina. Now happily married and living in safety, Pavel says he’s a completely different person – one who values life’s small joys and no longer feels the need to run. Since joining NaTakallam, he’s brought his passion for languages and his friendly teaching style to learners around the world. In his free time, Pavel enjoys horror movies, video games, playing the guitar, and above all, connecting with others. “Step by step, I’m getting closer to the life I dreamed of – and I’m grateful for every part of the journey.
Name: Mona
Language: Arabic (Levantine Dialects)
Origin: Syria
Current Location: Canada
Focus Topic(s): Arts & Performance, Genderr
“Art is the ultimate truth, the enduring form of life against death. It stands as a connection against alienation, a means to express and resist.”
“Art is the ultimate truth, the enduring form of life against death. It stands as a connection against alienation, a means to express and resist.”

Mona is an artist, educator, and singer. After graduating from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Damascus in 2016, the escalation of the Syrian civil war forced her to flee to Lebanon, where she taught Arabic and performed with bands focused on Syrian traditional music.

Displacement brought its share of challenges, from cultural adjustment in Beirut to the long, complicated journey of resettling in Canada. Mona first arrived in Victoria, British Columbia, where she claimed asylum and lived through the quiet isolation of the pandemic before making her way across the country on a 15-day road trip to Montreal.

Today, she blends her passion for Arabic, music, and the arts in every class she teaches. Her human-centered approach embraces each learner’s background, and her belief in language, culture, and art as a form of expression, connection, and resistance shines through.

Spanish is one of the fastest growing foreign languages in the world. Get access to the Spanish business world with our native tutors – tailored to your needs.

Improve your proficiency in Farsi or Dari & contextualize your learning with cultural insights from our native tutors. Language & culture go hand-in-hand at NaTakallam.

Looking to do business with Kurdish businesses? Learn with NaTakallam’s native speakers & reach new language (& business) goals – tailored to your professional needs.

Gain an edge with contextualized French learning by native tutors from displaced backgrounds. Flexible, with cultural & business insights, tailored to your needs.

Choose from Eastern Armenian or Western Armenian. Get quality teaching & unique insights from native tutors. Gain an edge with Armenian language skills.

Offer your team a smoother integration or transition with our customized English lessons delivered by bilingual tutors with extensive English instruction experience.

Choose from Modern Standard Arabic or any of our 7+ dialects offered by native tutors across the region. Take your proficiency to the next level & connect with the Arab business world.

Lucy

Lucy Davis

Communications, PR & Development Officer

Background In: Political Science and Advocacy

Languages Spoken: English, French, Spanish, and some Arabic

Based In: France and the US

Loves: Cooking, doing puzzles, and traveling to new places.