Abstract
Globalzv, nearzr 120 million people are displaced, placing immense pressure on countries like South Afi·ica to integrate re.fitgees. Although the South African Constitution grants refugees' rights similar to citizens excluding voting and holding office. many still face severe dwllenges. These include integration struggles, language barriers. xenophobia, sexual abuse, and isolation. Feminist scholarship emphasi::es the gendered nature ofdisplacement, with women often assuming new roles as primary caregivers and breadwinners. This paper explores how refitgee women navigate social spaces in host communities through language and literacy practices, challenging negatire stereotypes that portray them as either victims or threats. An intetpretative study involving 35 women, with four detailed narratives, reveals the complexities of their experiences. By examining their life stories, the study uncorers their resilience and agency. These insights offer valuable understanding of hair refugee women adapt, build lives, and become actil'e participants in their new comnwnities despite facing significant obstades