Amaanah Refugee Services hosts a gathering for Big Sister Circle cohort members where “Big Sister” mentors provide resources, training, and community for “Little Sister” participants. Photo courtesy Amaanah Refugee Services.

Connecting 24 refugee women with community mentors, Amaanah Refugee Services this month launched their 2026 Big Sister Circle cohort.

Big Sister Circle groups refugee women with previous program graduates and volunteers based on language to provide community, lessons and mental health support, Chief Program Officer Christina Degbo said. 

Degbo said that many refugee women in Houston experience isolation.

“We give them a place where they not only learn about the resources that are here in the United States, but they also get to make friends,” Degbo said.

This year’s cohort will focus on helping Afghan refugees build entrepreneurial skills and also support home transformations given enough donations, Degbo said.

Refugee women in the Big Sister Circle program attend a gathering hosted by Amaanah Refugee Services. Photo courtesy Amaanah Refugee Services.

Nikki Achanta, a pre-med student at University of Houston who volunteers at the Dari and Farsi circle, said that last year’s funding cuts limited ESL program partnerships and outings, but events were still made possible through community support. 

“A highlight of last year was that we got to take the ladies to the zoo for free,” Achanta said. “The tickets were gifted by a councilwoman. It was really special to see that our community can rally together to support the livelihood of refugees.”

Over 8,000 refugees arrived in Texas in the 2024 fiscal year, according to the Refugee Processing Center. 

Last year’s funding cuts disrupted $100 million for Houston refugees. After a lawsuit last spring, the Trump administration released $47 million dollars in funding.

Amaanah is currently looking for a Spanish-speaking volunteer to form a Spanish circle, Achanta said.