After two months of operation, we are overwhelmed by the number of calls we have received at our international call center.  The call center helps to support our users around the world in their search for loved ones. Callers can be registered by phone, get more information about our services, or receive technical support.

With a truly international team of agents, callers can be assisted in 6 different languages: English, Swahili, Somali, French, Lingala, and Arabic. The call center is active from 8:00 in the morning to 10:00 at night.  

Receiving hundreds of calls per day, the center has and continues to be a huge success. Working with Safaricom, and Vodacom DRC, users in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) can call our center free of charge by dialling 0800 724 882 in Kenya and 62014 in DRC. Our team expects to have more toll-free lines across East Africa, and a globally accessible number up and running this month.  

Users can also access our family tracing tool through our normal website www.Refunite.org or without internet from a mobile phone by dialing *883#.

We sat down with one of our best agents, Helen, originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to find out what her experience has been like:

Q: How long have you been working for Refugees United?

A: I have worked with Refugees United since the beginning, in June.  

Q: What does family mean to you?

A: Family is important to me because they are the people that you can depend on no matter what, anytime anywhere. And family gives you a sense of belonging. You know your family will never reject you.

Q: Is this the first time you have done this kind of work helping people?

A: It is the first time I have worked at a call center, but I have done some work before with children who had been abandoned by their parents in Kibera (one of the largest slums in the world) doing counselling and helping them with food and supplies.

Q: What is your favourite thing about working for Refugees United Call Center and why?

A:  Working here is such a great experience for me. When people call and they are so desperate and then by the end, they are so happy that we might be able to help them find the person they are looking for. We even have people who call us to say how happy they are about the service.  I had a girl today who had never met her father and when I told her we might be able to help she was so relieved. She wanted her dad to see how good she is doing, and be proud of her.

Q: Working at the Refugees United Call Center, you must hear a lot of heart-breaking stories like that from people looking for their loved ones every day on the phone. Has there been one in particular that really touched you?

A: There was a Somali girl who called us a few weeks ago who said and she hasn’t seen her mother since she was 17 and now she is 34. She wants to be able to tell her mother that she is now relocated and safe, and know if her mom is safe also. She had to flee with her father to come to Kenya and they lost her mother in the process.

Q: What is the funniest thing you have ever gotten a call about?

A: One day when we had a radio campaign, someone got confused and thought we were the radio. They asked me if I was a DJ and asked me to play them a song!

Q: Why do you think our service is so important?

A: Because most people have been separated by war and not by choice, Refugees United really gives them hope that even if they haven’t seen their loved one in 10 years we might be able to help them find them. It’s nice to give them something after they have had so many challenges. We have the power to give them piece of mind that everything will be okay. The people who don’t have anyone to turn too, for them to know there is an organization who cares is so important.

For more information please contact East Africa Project Coordinator, Rebecca Wainess: Rewa@refunite.org +254 713 079 261