From Afghans to Brazilian: Panahgah and the Power of Community Sponsorship

In this episode of God on the Move, Sophia Nobre shares the incredible journey of Panahgah, an NGO she founded to help Afghan refugees integrate into Brazilian society. The update highlights the challenges and successes faced by the organization, detailing how the church in Brazil is acting as a catalyst for change by welcoming and supporting Afghan refugees. Sophia discusses the implementation of a community sponsorship policy by the Brazilian government, inspired by Panahgah’s work, and shares her personal experiences traveling to international conferences to advocate for refugee resettlement. The episode also explores the transformative impact on the churches involved and underscores the critical role of the global church in addressing the refugee crisis.

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Guests in This Episode

Sophia Nobre

Sophia Nobre is the founder and president of Panahgah, a Brazilian NGO supporting refugees and displaced people. While studying law at Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie in São Paulo, she was moved by the human-rights crisis in Afghanistan and, in August 2021, began coordinating humanitarian aid for Afghan families seeking refuge in Brazil. This initiative became Panahgah, formally established in March 2022.

Under Sophia’s leadership, Panahgah has since assisted over 1,000 forcibly displaced people from Afghanistan and other countries, offering resettlement, legal aid, language classes, and psychosocial support across more than 45 Brazilian cities. The organisation partners with groups such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other national and international institutions.