|
Let’s Connect! is a free community event to connect youth and families from refugee backgrounds with summer programs and resources. Free and open to the public. Join us from 3-5 p.m. Friday, April 19, at the Collister Community House, 4400 W. Taft St, Boise. Hosted by youth programs at the Idaho Office for Refugees and International Rescue Committee. Come learn about summer opportunities for students and resources for families from the Boise Bicycle Project, YMCA, Boise Parks & Recreation, One Refugee, ICAN, and more. Contact: Chantale Niyonkuru - [email protected]
0 Comments
Refugee resettlement and asylum are vital programs because of their humanitarian impact, but beyond that, they also have economic benefits. A new federal report shows that from 2005 to 2019, refugees and asylees in the U.S. contributed $124 billion more in tax revenue than they cost in expenditures to the government. Find the full report from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. In Idaho, members of the refugee community help fill gaps in the workforce. From October 2022 to February 2024, 230 Idaho employers hired 465 people arriving through the refugee resettlement program.  Salam Bunyan (pictured above) is a former refugee himself and runs a restaurant, Tarbush Kitchen, that employs other former refugees and community members.
Salam had a decade of experience as a chef when his family resettled in Idaho in 2008 due to persecution in their home country of Iraq. “You have this chance for a new life, a new future for your kids,” Salam said. “Just do what you did before – use what you have until you find your target.” We’re excited to welcome spring and are halfway through the fiscal year. Refugee arrivals are on track with our expected total of 1,050 for the year. From Oct. 1, 2023, to March 18, 2024, resettlement agencies in Boise and Twin falls welcomed a total of 569 people. As with recent years, most arrivals are originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo.  This graph does not reflect the 65 people who have arrived from Ukraine since Oct. 1 and are being served by the Ukrainian Welcome Center in Nampa.
As of Oct. 1, 2023, most Ukrainians arriving through the humanitarian parole program are no longer eligible for federal resettlement benefits, and community support has been vital in welcoming and equipping them. Donate toward those efforts here. Idaho Office for Refugees and our programs are thrilled to welcome new members to our team! Plus - we're hiring one more instructor (part-time) for the English Language Center. Find application details here.
Viktoriia Siedikova is a new career advisor at Global Talent. Originally from Ukraine, Viktoriia started her career as an HR professional there, bringing a mix of skills and experiences to her current role. She earned a master's degree in management and economics from the Kharkiv National University of Economics. Before joining Global Talent, she served as a Community Advisor and interpreter for Agency for New Americans in Boise. Viktoriia is committed to community development and cross-cultural communication. English Language Center welcomes new instructors Mansur Arifi and Rachel Wickstrom. Mansur teaches two English classes at the main ELC building. His career journey spans education and humanitarian work. Born in Kabul, his academic pursuits led him to Turkey, where he delved into agricultural economics and taught English. He then served seven years with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in refugee protection in Turkey. Rachel is teaching the Afghan women's class at the Afghan Cultural Center of Idaho. These new additions to our team come as a result of increased student enrollment and our Curriculum Coordinator, Devon Jancin, taking on new responsibilities through our partnership with Global Talent's new Employer Engagement Program grant. Read our previous post to get to know Genny Gerke with Global Gardens!  Global Gardens, a program of the Idaho Office for Refugees, is excited to welcome Genny Gerke as Food Hub Manager.
Genny comes to Global Gardens with a passion for local food and extensive experience in environmental and outdoor education. She holds a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies from The College of Idaho and a master's in Bioregional Planning and Community Design from the University of Idaho. Genny is committed to community-focused, mission-driven work, and she enjoys making connections and building relationships. As an avid runner, mountain biker, and rafter, Genny loves to explore Idaho's outdoors with her husband and dog. If she must be inside, she can be found cooking plant-based meals or curled up with a good book. Genny feels fortunate to have volunteered for or worked with many wonderful local organizations making a difference in their community, including Roots Forest School, The Hunger Coalition, The College of Idaho, Foothills Learning Center, Wild Hearts Idaho, and the McCall Outdoor Science School (MOSS), among others. You can reach Genny at [email protected]. ABOUT GLOBAL GARDENS Global Gardens provides access to land, training, resources, and market connections primarly for farmers and gardeners from refugee backgrounds. We support small-business farmers on multiple farm sites, provide more than 100 community garden spaces, and operate the largest CSA program in the Treasure Valley. There will be an information session for APA (Afghan Placement & Assistance) clients from 5 to 7 p.m. November 16 at the English Language Center in Boise. Please find details in the flyer and images below. 
   The REACH Youth Program at IOR is partnering with the Boise and West Ada school districts to offer after-school activities to high school students from refugee backgrounds. Please contact Chantale Niyonkuru, REACH Program Youth Specialist, for more information or referrals: [email protected]. Looking to help out with the program? We need volunteer drivers to help students get to the school locations and go on field trips. If you're interested, please email Whitney Alsallum at [email protected]. Thank you! Here are flyers to share in English, Kiswahili, Arabic, and Kinyarwanda.
 The Idaho Office for Refugees is pleased to welcome Mr. Joel Ntando as our new Refugee Speakers Bureau Coordinator. Joel, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, holds graduate qualifications in Cultural and Media Studies, French from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He has professional working experience in academia and media. As the coordinator of the Refugee Speakers Bureau, Joel will oversee the recruitment, training and development of speakers from immigrant and refugee backgrounds, with a focus on building strong relationships. He will work closely with the Idaho Office for Refugees Communications Team to plan and execute training and speaking opportunities that promote positive social change and build bridges of empathy and understanding among Idahoans from different cultures and backgrounds. The Refugee Speakers Bureau offers trainings and paid speaking opportunities. If you or someone you know is interested in joining as a speaker or hosting a speaker at your event, please contact Joel at [email protected] or find a sign-up form at https://www.idahorefugees.org/refugeespeakersbureau.html. Welcome, Joel!  The Afghan Cultural Center of Idaho is excited to bring the community together for a soccer match Saturday, October 28, between Toofan F.C. of Boise and United F.C. of Seattle. Check out coverage of the game! The Afghan Cultural Center is a new program of the Idaho Office for Refugees, founded to promote Afghan culture, traditions, and customs, and to foster and nurture a positive relationship with the wider community. Idaho has welcomed refugees from Afghanistan for many years, and over the past two years Afghanistan has been one of the top countries of origin for folks resettling here.
 Nearly 20 years later, Boise garden program continues bridging gap for Idaho refugees - Idaho Capital Sun Moving day comes for Nampa Ukrainian Welcome Center - KTVB Investing in refugee resettlement is investing in America’s future. I’m proof of that | Opinion by Halima Hamud - Idaho Statesman Refugees Are An American Immigration Success Story - Forbes In a recipe rut? Get a little exotic - Boise Weekly One way ticket to Freedom: A former Idaho Governor and a local Afghan American worked to secure a flight for American allies out of Afghanistan - Idaho News 6 |
Archives
September 2024
Author: Holly BeechIdaho Office for Refugees Communications Manager 
Thank you to the generous organizations who
support our outreach: 
|
||||||||||
Idaho Office for refugees |
|
