For Adam Kopolie, work with NunaMoving has meant more than a paycheck. It has given him the ability to support his family, build stability, and take steps toward independence. NunaMoving, a community-rooted moving company and training program led by Abdoul-Karim and colleagues saw a gap in how employment programs were reaching their community.
With support from the Ready, Willing & Able’s Youth Employment Project as well as The Nunavut Disabilities Makinnasuaqtiit Society (NDMS), a local social service agency, NunaMoving was able to grow its role as a grassroots program, offering tailored supports for Inuit and Black youth with disabilities in Nunavut.
Adam was among the first participants. He began as a helper on office moves for government departments, steady work that gave him structure and confidence. With Abdoul-Kaarim’s guidance, he prepared for and earned his driver’s license which gave him higher-paying work. “It created more opportunity,” Adam said. With the license, he could take on more responsibility at NunaMoving and qualify for jobs at other companies, giving him more income for his family.
What sets NunaMoving apart is how individualized the support is. When written driver’s exams became a barrier, Abdoul-Karim and his team broke down the material into oral and visual lessons. When participants risked losing jobs at local retailers, he met with managers to mediate, explain, and advocate for more inclusive practices. The focus has always been on keeping people employed and helping them advance, not just hiring for short-term roles.
“It doesn’t stop after three months,” Abdoul-Karim explained. “People come back to us if they’re struggling, and in a small community, you can’t just walk away. You see them at the store, you see their families. You keep supporting until they succeed.”
That approach has drawn wider attention. NorthMart, Nunavut’s largest retailer, has shifted its hiring practices after working with NunaMoving.
For Adam, the impact is clear and personal. “It opened doors for me,” he said. “Now I know I can get work and provide for my family. “As NunaMoving expands, developing entrepreneurship programs and building new training streams, it remains grounded in the same principle that shaped Adam’s journey: opportunity must be local, practical, and created by the community itself.
Through this work, the leaders at NunaMoving have also seen the need to create more opportunities for Black community members, including youth with disabilities. In response, they formed the Nunavut Black Business Association to build new pathways for empowerment and employment. Their efforts are just beginning, and more updates are still to come.