By Jamie Brian
Bikabe Malanga, an employment case manager at the International Institute of Akron, is no stranger to the challenges that immigrants and refugees face. He was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Kivu region, but due to war and political instability, he was forced to leave his home when he was ten months old. Bikabe and his family then spent twenty years living in a refugee camp in Tanzania before resettling in Akron.
This experience has shaped how he views his job and the populations IIA serves.
“My favorite part of my job is feeling all of my own memories from when I just came here as a refugee,” Bikabe said. “Essentially, what they (my case managers) did for me, I’m doing now. I went through that, and now I’m trying to do the same thing for my clients.”
Bikabe arrived in Akron in 2016 through the International Institute of Akron. He worked as an interpreter and translator before becoming a case manager. He says that working for a nonprofit organization that supports refugees and immigrants is his dream job because he wants to help other refugees resettle in northeast Ohio.
As an employment case manager, Bikabe guides newcomers to the United States through the process of landing a job. He coordinates with employers in Akron, Medina, and other neighboring cities to schedule interviews, provide training, and arrange transportation to and from work.
“When I place a client into a job, I feel very happy about it because they are becoming more self-sufficient,” he said.
As a refugee, Bikabe understands the challenges that refugees and immigrants face when arriving in the United States. Many clients don’t speak English, so language and culture can be barriers to employment.
“I still have a bit of an accent because English is my second language,” he said. “My first language is Kibembe and Swahili and also French.”
To overcome these barriers, Bikabe arranges interpreting services and education for clients to help them succeed in the workplace.
Outside of his work with the International Institute of Akron, Bikabe is a leader in the Congolese community. On Saturdays, he helps his Congolese neighbors read letters written in English.
“I have always wanted to give back to other refugees,” he said.