Victoria Street started with the 2022 Ukrainian refugee crisis.

In the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Aswar Rahman, founder of Victoria Street, traveled to Lviv, Ukraine, and established an office to support refugees fleeing to the European Union. Soon after, the Biden administration launched the “Uniting for Ukraine” program, allowing Ukrainian refugees to temporarily relocate to the United States. Aswar’s office quickly became facilitators of this initiative.

What drove Victoria Street—then known as the American Service in Ukraine—was the belief that Ukrainians earning livable wages in the U.S. would provide a crucial lifeline to their homeland during and after the war.

Returning to the U.S. in summer 2022, Aswar recognized that the traditional refugee reception system, underfunded and strained, could not accommodate the influx of newcomers. He swiftly connected with housing providers and large employers in Minnesota to create a landing pad for Ukrainian refugees.

Over two years, Aswar largely self-funded a project that resettled hundreds of Ukrainian families. These newcomers quickly achieved self-sufficiency, securing stable jobs, housing, and a supportive community within weeks.

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