Issi Hafizou and Guigma Aboubacar both grew up in the same village in Togo, a country in West Africa with a population smaller than that of New York City. But that’s not how they met. That would come years later and thousands of miles away.
In early 2017, Hafizou and Aboubacar found themselves at an event in New York sponsored by the International Rescue Committee. At first they didn’t realize they were from the same place. Instead, they bonded over their love of soccer. It was only then they realized that they were from the same tiny country sandwiched between Ghana and Benin.
They shared stories about their difficult journeys to New York, both of which involved stops in various countries before they arrived in the U.S. They recounted the jobs they had held working on construction sites, selling computer accessories, and, for Hafizou, a stint in a bakery. They both wanted something different in their lives, something that had an impact on the world.
Then they said goodbye, not knowing when or if they would see each other again.
Fast-forward about a year, when they both found themselves at WeWork Times Square. Aboubacar — who goes by the name Bouba — had been on the cleaning staff there in January. Hafizou joined about a month later.
“And now,” says Hafizou, “we work side by side everyday.”
Speaking the same language and understanding the same culture, Hafizou and Aboubacar teamed up to support each other in their new roles, learning the details of their jobs together.
With his outgoing personality and endless energy, Hafizou is eager to share his story of how he found himself at WeWork after not one, not two, but three applications over the course of about six months. After unfulfilling jobs elsewhere, he knew he wanted to be a part of WeWork, no matter how many times he had to apply.
“Everyday I wake up happy,” Hafizou says.
Aboubacar is a bit more introspective, content to let his friend tell their story. He looks on, smiling, as Hafizou talks.
Hafizou and Aboubacar came to WeWork as part of the WeWork Refugee Initiative, a program to hire 1,500 refugees over the next five years. It originally launched in the U.S. and has expanded to the UK and Latin America.
When they arrived at WeWork Times Square, they were taken under the wing of another member of the staff. Coming from Guinea, another country in West Africa, Mamadou Diallo felt an affinity with the newcomers. Although he has been at WeWork only a few more months than Hafizou and Aboubacar, he became their friend, mentor, and role model.
“How you behave, it affects people,” he says. “Here everyone helps each other.”
No matter the task, the trio always ends up working work side by side. That closeness, they say, makes this more than just a job. “We speak the same language,” says Hafizou. “Everything is easy together.”
Diallo also found the position at WeWork through the IRC. He’s taken advantage of several of programs for refugees they offer, including a course that helps those for whom English is a second language.
What’s next for the trio? Diallo is interested in coding classes with Flatiron School. And all three hope to move up in WeWork.
“Everybody has a dream, but I need this job before reaching that,” says Hafizou. “You can grow with this company and become somebody here. You just have to take it seriously, and we take it seriously.”