What is the name of your organization?
More Than A Smile Foundation Inc.
What is the name of your solution?
More Than A Smile
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
A digital platform connecting displaced individuals to jobs, legal aid, and essential services for self-sufficiency.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Louisville, KY, USA
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
United States
What type of organization is your solution team?
Nonprofit
Film your elevator pitch.
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What specific problem are you solving?
We address the employment, education, and resource access barriers faced by 122 million forcibly displaced individuals, including 43.7 million refugees. Most face legal restrictions, credential recognition barriers, and limited access to education and financial systems, leaving them trapped in informal, exploitative work or long-term dependency on aid. Only 7% of refugee youth access higher education, and 71% reside in low-income countries with scarce resources.
Many spend 5+ years in refugee camps without opportunities for self-sufficiency, leading to economic exclusion and poverty. Our solution connects refugees to jobs, education, and legal aid through a tech-driven platform, providing AI-powered job matching, skills training, financial inclusion, and verified resources. By breaking systemic barriers and promoting economic independence, we empower displaced individuals to rebuild their lives, integrate into host economies, and reduce reliance on humanitarian aid.
What is your solution?
Our digital platform connects forcibly displaced individuals to employment, education, and verified resources, helping them rebuild their lives with dignity. It serves as a one-stop ecosystem that:
Matches refugees with jobs based on skills and experience, overcoming credential barriers.
Provides access to education, including language learning, digital literacy, and certification programs.
Connects users with legal aid, work permit assistance, and financial inclusion programs like mobile banking and microloans.
Uses AI-driven recommendations to offer localized resources based on user profiles and needs.
Designed to be mobile-first, multilingual, and accessible for low-literacy users, it includes offline functionality and voice navigation for usability in low-resource settings. By partnering with employers, schools, and legal service providers, we create pathways to economic independence and self-sufficiency, reducing reliance on humanitarian aid.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Our solution serves forcibly displaced individuals, including refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants, particularly those in low-income host countries, refugee camps, and urban settlements. Many are skilled professionals, entrepreneurs, and students but face legal, financial, and systemic barriers to opportunity.
By providing employment matching, education access, and verified resource navigation, we help refugees:
Secure stable jobs, reducing reliance on exploitative informal work.
Gain education and skills training, increasing career mobility.
Access legal work permits and financial services, fostering long-term inclusion.
Become self-sufficient, contributing to host communities and reducing aid dependency.
Our solution empowers displaced individuals with tools to rebuild their lives, integrate into local economies, and achieve financial independence, restoring their dignity and future prospects.
