̽����ѡ

Rabia Afghan and her family arrived in the United States in April 2022 as part of “Operation Allies Welcome,” fleeing the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. Initially welcomed by ̽����ѡ staff member Bill Tuffin in Virginia, their paths crossed again in January 2023 when Bill, now an Employment Specialist at the ̽����ѡ in Denver, was tasked with helping Rabia find employment. Despite language barriers and the challenges of resettlement, Rabia secured a job at a local hotel and, through determination and support from the ̽����ѡ, was promoted within two years. Her story highlights the critical role of community support in helping refugees rebuild their lives and the ongoing challenges they face in their new homes.

Living​ ​in​ ​the​ ​USA,​ ​particularly​ ​in​ ​the​ ​nation’s​ ​capital,​ ​provides​ ​endless​ ​opportunities​ ​to dedicate​ ​time​ ​and​ ​effort​ ​towards​ ​the​ ​refugee​ ​and​ ​asylee​ ​community.​ ​Over​ ​the​ ​summer,​ ​I​ ​was lucky​ ​to​ ​continue​ ​to​ ​contribute​ ​to​ ​this​ ​work​ ​as​ ​the​ ​Asylee​ ​Casework​ ​Intern​ ​with​ ​the​ ​International Rescue​ ​Committee​ ​(̽����ѡ).​ ​Kind,​ ​genuine​ ​and​ ​dedicated​ ​doesn’t​ ​begin​ ​to​ ​the​ ​scratch​ ​the​ ​surface of​ ​the​ ​̽����ѡ​ ​staff​ ​in​ ​Silver​ ​Spring.​ ​I​ ​had​ ​the​ ​privilege​ ​of​ ​witnessing​ ​and​ ​taking​ ​part​ ​in​ ​clients’ transition​ ​to​ ​the​ ​USA,​ ​and​ ​because​ ​of​ ​this,​ ​I​ ​can​ ​provide​ ​testament​ ​to​ ​the​ ​time​ ​and​ ​effort​ ​that caseworkers​ ​commit​ ​to​ ​each​ ​and​ ​every​ ​client.

Housing volunteers at the ̽����ѡ in Salt Lake City are crucial to the resettlement process! When refugees arrive in Utah, they are able to walk into a furnished home with all their essential needs to start out their lives here. Learn more about members of our housing support team: Jill Baker, Rob Kain, and Holli Turner.

The ̽����ѡ in Richmond is committed to bringing our refugee clients from harm to home. As a part of that commitment, we provide them with necessities – such as clothing and household items – they will need to start rebuilding their lives here. To do this, the ̽����ѡ relies on donated items from community partners that are passed into the hands of our clients free of charge.

It was October 16, and there were over 280 people filling into SOMArts gallery in downtown San Francisco. This was GenR’s Force for Change event, where there was an outdoor bar with a DJ, and a huge gallery space full of tables of cookies and kabobs from Afghanistan, salads from Burma, and sweets from Syria. In a black box room off to the side of the gallery, there were huge photographs, propped up on easels, of refugees girls ages 8 through 11 embodying what they want to be when they grow up. The girls, who live all around the Bay Area, were posing as doctors, lawyers, and rock stars, in culmination of an empowerment workshop called The Vision Project, which was formed in collaboration with ̽����ѡ. Guests milled around, observing, eating, enjoying themselves, and then they were gathered around a stage in the main gallery.  This was where the speech was going to take place.