Supporting Refugee Olympians on their journey towards Canadian citizenship
Key Takeaways
- Airbnb is proud to support four Refugee Olympians with temporary housing in Canada while they pursue their education and training.
- Three of the athletes – Paulo, James and Rose – were part of the first ever Refugee Olympic team in Rio 2016.
- The fourth athlete, Nigara Sha Heen, is one of the 36 athletes named to the Paris 2024 Refugee Olympic Team.
Key Takeaways
- Airbnb is proud to support four Refugee Olympians with temporary housing in Canada while they pursue their education and training.
- Three of the athletes – Paulo, James and Rose – were part of the first ever Refugee Olympic team in Rio 2016.
- The fourth athlete, Nigara Sha Heen, is one of the 36 athletes named to the Paris 2024 Refugee Olympic Team.
As the world marks World Refugee Day on June 20 and excitement builds for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Airbnb is proud to support four Refugee Olympic team members on their path to resettlement.
We’re providing four athletes six months or more of temporary housing on Airbnb in Toronto, Canada while they focus on their education and athletic training. This initiative is a part of our Olympics and Paralympics partnership and commitment to support refugee athletes.
Thanks to support from the Olympic Refuge Foundation, the athletes are part of the Student Refugee Program’s “athletic pathway” which offers education and resettlement support. Three of the athletes are enrolled at Sheridan College and the other at Centennial College, while they collectively pursue their education and training.
“I’m really grateful to Airbnb. Without their support it would be much harder. With full-time classes and training there’s no time for work. ”
Meet the athletes
The Refugee Olympic Team represents the more than 100 million displaced people around the world. Meet four athletes now living in Toronto on Airbnb while on the path to Canadian residency.
Nigara Sha Heen (Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024)
Born in Afghanistan, Nigara is a judoka competing in Paris. She took up judo when she was 11, living as a refugee in Peshawar, Pakistan. In September 2022 she moved to Toronto where she studies and trains. She was a member of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team Tokyo 2020 where she competed in the individual and mixed team events. Nigara has a master’s degree in international trade from the Ural Federal University in Ekaterinburg.
Paulo Amotun Lokoro (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020)
Paulo fled Kenya in March 2006 to escape war and join his mother who had been at the Kakuma Camp since 2004. He competed in Athletics during the Olympic Games in Rio and Tokyo as a member of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team. Paulo now lives in Toronto and is a full-time student-athlete at Sheridan College.
James Nyang Chiengjiek (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020)
James is from Bentiu, South Sudan and escaped when the war broke out as he was at risk of being forced to participate by the army. He arrived in Kenya in 2002 and settled in the Kakuma Refugee Camp. James competed in Athletics during the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 as part of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team. He is now a full-time student-athlete at Sheridan College in Toronto.
Rose Nathike (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020)
Rose and her family left South Sudan because of the war and arrived at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in 2002. In 2015 she participated in a run in Kakuma and was selected to take part in an elite-level training camp. She then went on to compete in Athletics during the Olympic Games Rio 2016 as part of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team where she served as the flag bearer and also competed in Tokyo 2020. Rose is now a full-time student-athlete at Sheridan College in Toronto.
Continuing our support for refugees, worldwide
Airbnb and Airbnb.org support the important work of the Olympic Refugee Foundation and their commitment to build a movement where displaced people can enjoy the benefit of sports.
We continue to bring attention to the resilience, plight and ongoing struggles of refugees around the world. Since its founding in December 2020, Airbnb.org has worked with organizations around the world to connect thousands of refugees and asylum seekers with free, temporary housing.