Anil’s story: how financial inclusion helped a refugee entrepreneur to thrive

When I arrived in the UK four and a half years ago, I felt like I was starting again from zero. I left Afghanistan after the fall of Kabul, travelling through Pakistan before finally arriving in the UK as part of the evacuation effort. I wanted to have a fresh start here, but I didn’t know where to begin.

On my first day in the UK – literally my first interaction with a British person – something happened that I’ll never forget. It was cold, and I desperately needed a jacket. So, I went into town and walked into a British Red Cross charity shop in Grantham, but charity shops like those in the UK aren’t something I was used to back home. A woman working there seemed to understand that I was a refugee and needed some help figuring out what to get. She helped me find warm clothes. When I went to pay, she said there was no charge.

That moment of kindness was my first interaction in the UK, and it stays with me every day – even now, I get emotional when I think about it.

Back in Afghanistan, I had quite an entrepreneurial mindset. I spent a lot of my time working in the private sector, and I’ve always been drawn to building new things. Despite everything going on, the entrepreneurial part of me never left. I knew I wanted to build something of my own again in the UK.

One evening, a friend and I went to see Life of Pi at the theatre. As people walked in, I noticed many of them wearing hats. In Afghanistan, we wear hats as well, though they’re different in style, and seeing that small overlap between cultures sparked something in me. That theatre foyer was where the idea for my business, Hatopia, was born.

I spent months researching, meeting suppliers and receiving training through The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN). I wasn’t lacking in motivation, but there were many challenges. I didn’t know what questions to ask or where to look for answers.

Access to finance, in particular, felt like an impossible barrier during those very early stages. The day I learned there were interest-free loans available was transformative – I couldn’t believe it. That small loan allowed me to buy stock, which was a real turning point for the business. Eventually, Hatopia was selling five times the loan amount.

“A loan doesn’t just fund a business; it gives refugees a purpose. It enables them to prove what they’re capable of. It allows people to realise their own dreams.”

Hatopia started small, launching on eBay with the support of TERN. I’ve always worked full time alongside the business, which often means rushing to pack orders after work or early morning hustles, carrying boxes to the parcel shop in the cold. It was exhausting, but I believed deeply in the dream, and I knew it would all be worth it.

Now, the business has become a reality. We shipped products to more than 30 countries in our first year. People connected with the story, the craftsmanship, the quality.

Another moment I’ll never forget was winning the Start-Up Award at the eBay for Business Awards. Out of so many applicants, our fashion brand, born from a theatre queue and sustained by late nights, was finally being recognised. Winning came with £10,000, which I invested back into the business. But more than money, it gave me confidence.

I often think about how different things would be if I hadn’t had access to that loan. Hatopia might still be an idea. That’s why I speak so strongly about financial inclusion for refugees. I hope my story serves as inspiration for other refugees who are just coming to the UK who have the same dream as me.

“Financial inclusion is a turning point, and it can take many different forms. For someone rebuilding from nothing, access to even a small amount of capital can transform them from feeling like a burden to becoming a contributor.”

Refugees don’t lack skills or ambition. We have dreams, skills and education. What we often lack is access: access to information, to networks, to the labour market, to funding. The barriers to access the traditional job market often push refugees to explore entrepreneurship, where we can shape our own path.

Through my day job leading a refugee resettlement programme, I meet refugees with incredible talent who simply need better signposting to the resources already out there. The charity sector is full of support, but it can be fragmented. I see my role as connecting the dots.

I’m proud of what I’ve built so far, but I feel like this is just the beginning. I hope Hatopia continues to grow, to win more awards and to reach even more customers around the world. I hope my story encourages newly arrived refugees to believe in their own possibilities.

This country has shown me immense kindness. Honestly, I could talk for hours about the kindness that I have experienced in this country, from my first charity shop encounter to the many different individuals, communities and organisations who have supported my journey over the years. I think people’s kindness is the greatest thing about the UK, and that’s why I am so keen to pay it back – to help others navigate those first confusing months, to show them that hope can be rebuilt – not only for refugees, but for young people in the UK with ambition and ideas of their own.

—

To find out more about how you can support refugees in the UK and around the world, visit our ‘Take Action‘ page. You can learn more about UNHCR’s work around financial inclusion here.

If you have lived experience of displacement and are interested in sharing your story, you can learn more about our Storytelling Programme here.