Refugee Transitions: "Who and Where We Serve"

Refugee Transitions:“Who and Where We Serve”

Where We Serve: Countries of origin; counties

served

Our students come from 42

countries…

…and we serve three counties in the Bay: San Francisco, Santa Clara, and Alameda

Who We Serve: A snapshot of clients and countries

Hosai, Afghanistan-Hosai was a star of our

Sunnyvale Enrichment Camp (here she is enjoying some down-time after lunch) .

-She has a strong grasp of English and lives with her family in Santa Clara.

-Hosai is one of the millions of IDPs, refugees, and migrants affected by ongoing political instability, conflict-induced displacement, and drought in Afghanistan.



Chandra, Bhutan-Chandra has been a

dedicated youth leader and is clearly comfortable assisting his peers from OIHS.

-Here he is serving the dinner he helped make this weekend at our Boys’ Overnight Camp.

-Bhutanese refugees are mainly ethnic Nepalis who have lived in southern Bhutan for centuries. Expelled for religious and ethnic differences, the majority are unable to return to Bhutan or resettle in Nepal.

-Recently-arrived, young Bhutanese refugees, like Chandra, have typically spent much of their lives in camps.



Burmese Refugees-Previous page: Burmese refugees with our South Bay

Director Elsa Amboy.-Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) is one of the least

developed countries in the world and has been ruled by the military since 1962.

-There are more than 500,000 Burmese refugees as the result of general political strife and ongoing ethnic clashes.

-150,000 persecuted Karen/Karenni people have lived in refugee camps in Thailand.

- RT has assisted well over 300 Burmese refugees since 2008 – almost 5 percent of all Burmese refugees re-settled in the United States!


Kongolo, DRC-A huge soccer fan,

Kongolo lives with his family of 9 in San Jose.

-He is pre-literate in English and speaks Swahili at home.

-While political stability has returned to much of DRC, certain regions remain volatile and almost 500,000 Congolese remain in neighboring countries’ refugee camps.

Ninevah, Iraq-An incredibly outgoing

nine-year-old, Ninevah lives in Sunnyvale with her family.

-She speaks Assyrian and English, with a strong grasp of Arabic and Kurdish.

-As an Assyrian, Ninevah is a member of one of the many persecuted ethnic minorities in post-2003 Iraq.

-Iraqi refugees currently arriving in the US are often highly-educated but also suffer from higher rates of PTSD and trauma than other refugees.


Justine, Rwanda-Justine is a

talented artist and a great older sister.

-She lives with her family in downtown San Jose.

-While Rwanda has stabilized, the country still faces a refugee crises – most Rwandan camps are significantly overcrowded and camp children receive little education.

Zebib, Eritrea-Quiet and

friendly, “Zebibinaldo,” as her friends call her, was the soccer star of our South Bay camp.

-The majority of refugees from Eritrea fled during the Ethiopian-Eritrean War of 1998-2000 and face persecution if they return.

-RT has served over 35 Eritrean refugees since 2008


Education

Refugee Transitions: "Who and Where We Serve"