Summary
Sona Circle is the world’s first networking and recruitment app that connects refugees with their immediate surroundings, local opportunities and each other. Formed as a response to the global refugee crisis, Sona Circle connects refugees with potential employers and each other; enabling them to share their skills and gain employment to support their livelihoods. Sona Circle also created Sona Translate as the world’s first translation services agency committed to creating employment and opportunities for refugees.
Investment thesis
With several established corporate partners and an expanding user base of refugee job seekers, Sona Circle has developed an innovative and effective platform to help solve the problem of refugee under-employment. The company is currently seeking investments to expand its operations throughout Europe.
Potential refugee impact
Sona has already partnered with organizations such as Refugee Action, Breadwinners, Manchester Refugee Support Network and Code Your Future along with companies such as Starbucks, Nemi Teas and Kier Constructions to help refugees find suitable employment. They are also committed to creating 100 new jobs specifically for refugees in major cities across Europe and are at present working to expand their network to include local government agencies as a means to provide additional employment opportunities. The Sona Circle app is currently used by over 3,000 refugees, asylum seekers, employers, mentors, volunteers and aid organisations with an ambitious growth target of over 100,000 users by 2020.
Management
Onaseye Onabolu – Founder
Structure:
Sona Circle is a dynamic social enterprise which aims to simultaneously help refugees connect with potential employers, government agencies, and each other to address issues of under-employment, the sharing of information and professional networking among refugees, asylum seekers, employers, volunteers, mentors and aid organizations.