Two Stories from Resettled Idahoans for Welcoming Week

It’s Welcoming Week, when communities around the country bring together neighbors of all backgrounds and build strong connections. Celebrate with us this Saturday at the Treasure Family YMCA’s Family Field Day!
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Two Idahoans who resettled through the refugee program share their stories below about what helped them feel welcomed when they arrived, how they have overcome challenges, and how they found belonging in their new community. Read on to get to know them!

​Neville Mutombo
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Neville is a teacher who resettled in Idaho earlier this year. He taught math and physics in Zambia, where he was born after his parents fled war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Neville initially felt nervous resettling in Idaho because he didn’t know anyone here, but he soon found a warm welcome.

“People I first met made me feel at home by taking me to stores to buy food,” he said.

Making friends was one of the first challenges he faced, along with adapting to Idaho weather. Neville found a church to practice his faith and got a job at the College of Western Idaho. This allowed him to make friends and adjust to his new environment. He remembers going to a party at a fellow church member’s home. He enjoyed himself, and they made him feel at home.

Neville feels connected to his American community.

“I am getting used (to live in Idaho) bit by bit by making friends, cooking my favorite foods and also adapting to the weather,” he said.

While in the United States, Neville is able to practice his culture and heritage through food and music. “Because there are some foods that I used to eat in Zambia that are also here, and I also listen to African music.”

This Welcoming Week, Neville encourages other newcomers to make friends and continue enjoying their favorite food and music. He invites other community members to visit their neighbors who have recently resettled, share with them about their experience in Idaho, and introduce them to new places and foods that would be interesting for them.

Pictured above: Neville shares his story with the Idaho Statesman on World Refugee Day.

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​Razma Jalali
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​Razma is originally from Afghanistan and resettled in the U.S. two years ago when the Taliban regained control of the country.

“My family and I had to leave the country because of our safety,” she said. “There were no longer school for girls in Afghanistan, so I came to do my education here.’’

Razma has been able to continue her education in Idaho. She graduated from Borah High School this year and is now studying computer science at Boise State University.

“The first day my family and I arrived in the U.S., there were so many soldiers that welcomed us with the U.S. flags, which was so nice,” she said.

During her first weeks here, Razma and her family went to a Christmas party for people new to Idaho.

“It was so fun,” she said. “There was a lot of delicious food, and they took pictures of our family with Christmas tree and printed them for us in frames.”

Razma had faced some challenges adjusting to life in the U.S. One of the main ones was studying for and taking an English language test.

“It was so hard for me,” she remembers. Fortunately, her family and teachers provide her with great support. They did not want her to work so she could have more time for school. Whether it was with school or other life issues, her teachers constantly encouraged and supported her.

Razma feels connected to her American community because of opportunities to go to school and make new friends. She also stays connected to the culture and heritage of her country of origin. Her family and community gather to celebrate holidays together, including Eid, a special and holy time for Muslims, and Afghanistan’s Independence Day, which recently celebrated 105 years.  

For this Welcoming Week, Razma sends motivational words to the new arrivals in Idaho. “Do not stress about things,” she said. “It might be very hard at first, but as we move forward, things will get better, and we will be much stronger than before.”

Razma encourages Idahoans to be kind to new arrivals. ’’Be nice to all those who have left their countries,” she said. “because they already went through many hardships in their lives.’’  

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Connect
Thank you to Neville and Razma for sharing your Welcoming Week stories through the Refugee Speakers Bureau, a program of the Idaho Office for Refugees. If you would like to join the Bureau as a paid storyteller or invite storytellers to be at your event, please contact the Refugee Speakers Bureau at [email protected]  

Idaho Welcoming Week Event!

• Family Field Day, hosted by the Treasure Valley YMCA and community partners‎
• ‎4-7 p.m. Saturday, September 21.
• Sunset Park, 2625 N. 32nd St. in Boise
• Free and open to the public. Dinner included (African and Middle Eastern cuisine)!
• Transportation and translated flyers are available. Please request information by emailing Holly at [email protected].

About Welcoming Week
Welcoming Week is a national initiative by Welcoming America. Organizations and communities bring together neighbors of all backgrounds to build strong connections and affirm the importance of welcoming and inclusive places in achieving collective prosperity.