Vital Services
How Refugee Children Reshape Resettlement for Their Families
Itâs easy to overlook the unique role refugee children have in the resettlement process. Yet the part they play not only impacts how quickly their family can adapt to life in the U.S. It can also determine how successfully they fully integrate.
The Challenge of Successful Resettlement
For families across the world, many would agree one of our highest priorities is raising our children. This often takes the form of providing stability – whether it’s through safety, good healthcare, a solid education, or better opportunities. After all, children take precedence in our lives and for good reason: they impact us at every level. When they struggle, the family as a unit often struggles, experiencing great difficulty to move forward.
It’s in this challenge many refugee families find themselves up against as they rebuild their lives in the U.S.
The Daunting Journey
Every year, violence, wars, persecution, poverty, famine, and other natural disasters drive children from their homes. According to the UNHCR, 36.5 million children were forcibly displaced in 2021 – that’s more than 40% of the world’s total displaced people. Not only has their normal rhythm of life been torn apart by unforeseen and tragic events. They’re never given the time or resources to mentally and emotionally process what happened â or why it happened in the first place.
Unfortunately, these challenges don’t stop here in the U.S. as they take on a new form during the resettlement process. Although eager to start their new life, refugee children now face a new set of barriers. But this time it’s in the form of adapting to a different culture, learning a new language, and navigating an unfamiliar educational system. To top it off, they must also figure out how to cultivate new relationships.
These challenges continue into the home as children straddle two different worlds and often assume adult responsibilities. As quick learners, children commonly become the primary interpreter for their parents â whether at school, for medical care, or in situations where family members are unable to communicate. They often find themselves trying to integrate two diverse cultures and languages into their household fabric. Their role develops into bridging the gaps and helping the family to function more smoothly.
Finding an Inroad to Stability
Without question, in the event of crisis, war, or conflict, the stability of the family unit is key to building a new foundation. For families, this stability begins with the children. When theyâre in a safe space, parents and extended family feel more secure about starting the adjustment process.
Yet the question remains. How can these families rebuild a sense of security when their children continue to be exposed to daunting challenges?
Bridging the Gap
Children & Youth Services at World Relief plays an integral part in stabilizing and empowering refugee children and their families as they resettle in the Chicago suburbs. In the last year, people like you along with the staff in DuPage and Aurora have worked with 633 children from 268 families and 37 different countries. These countries include Ukraine, Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, Sudan, Nepal, Colombia and many more.
We are all too familiar with the global crises that have uprooted these families. It’s critical to orient them as soon as possible to the nuts and bolts of parenting in America so that they can not only provide needed stability for their children. They can also move forward as a family.
Children and Youth Services Programs
Upon their arrival to the U.S., staff members work one-on-one with each unique family. A parent orientation program provides the initial support to quickly adjust during resettlement. It introduces them to life in the United States and what families can expect at each age and stage of their childâs resettlement.
Resources provided by Children & Youth Services continue to serve as an essential anchor for these families. These services include:
- Early childhood case management: nurtures essential play groups, connects families to local preschools, and coordinates specialized therapy
- School preparation and support: Provides backpacks and school supplies, helps them navigate classes and form new friendships, and shows them how to ride the bus on their first day
- Tutoring and mentoring services: ensures homework help is available through tutoring and provides After School and Summer Clubs for students in all grades
And let’s not forget one of the most important parts of being a kid: having fun and making new friends. World Reliefâs youth programming gives refugee children the space to be a kid with other kids. They create new friendships, explore American culture, and share a universal love for games (and snacks). Most importantly, these children are given the chance to move forward – together. Their constant smiles reveal it all – they tell a joyful story of a new life beginning.
Make a Difference. Get Involved.
People like you, along with churches, staff, donors and volunteers walk this journey with refugee children and their families. Together, we advocate on their behalf and connect them to essential community resources such as food pantries, clothing, child car seats, and other social services.
We understand that familiarity with the everyday small things has a huge impact on newcomers. Together, we can tackle complex challenges like employment, learning English, becoming citizens, and restoring dignity and normalcy for our new neighbors here in Chicagoland.
Efoe Davis: Resettlement Through the Eyes of a Caseworker
Efoe Davis is a caseworker at World Relief Western Washington in our King County office, who regularly meets with individuals and families as they transition to their new life in the U.S. Here, he shares the joys and challenges of resettlement from his vantage point:
The Challenges
On December 20, 2021, I greeted a family of seven from Afghanistan: a mother, father, and five children. They had just arrived in the U.S., and I was their caseworker. After fleeing Afghanistan, they spent time on a U.S. military base as the lengthy paperwork was processed. They finally arrived in Washington and a new community, yet had experienced so much uncertainty, trauma, and waiting in the process. I see a lot of grief and pain in the people I work alongside.
Language and communication are just two elements that can be very challenging as a family resettles in the U.S. This family and I worked so hard to communicate about questions, concerns, tasks like grocery shopping, and how to navigate resources. One of the kids speaks some English, the rest only speak Dari, so we used interpreters when we could, and also lots of translation apps!
Another challenge for families when they first arrive is finding permanent housing, especially for larger families. How do you find a home before you have a job? How do you find a job without a permanent address? How do you find an affordable three-bedroom apartment in King County? These are the types of challenges people face when they arrive, and I get to help them navigate these questions as they work toward self-sufficiency.
The Joys
When this family first arrived, they stayed in two different Airbnbs and a hotel before we found permanent housing last month. As a caseworker, Iâve been surprised and encouraged by how community members have been so supportive and kind. During this familyâs stay at their first Airbnb, the owner frequently checked in on them to see if they needed anything. And when a snowstorm hit, she asked if they needed warmer clothes. With their resounding âyes,â she gathered some community support and helped them find the clothes they wanted.
Some of her neighbors got connected to World Relief after that, and are now supporting refugee resettlement through financial donations. Seeing how invested people are in this work reminds me that there are people in the world who have genuine hearts and are willing to do anything to help others in need. It felt like a spiritual connection to have this family at the Airbnb and to know that they (and I!) had the support of the community.
No Two Alike
Each case I work with is so unique. In my experience as a resettlement caseworker, I have seen a wide variety of families. Some are extremely easy-going, open-minded, and able to adapt quickly. Other families come with high expectations and very specific ideas of how they want things to go. But everyone arrives with some experiences of trauma and loss.
Sometimes, I receive praise and gratitude from people, and sometimes people yell at me or are verbally aggressive when things donât go their way. People come with so many different experiences, personalities, histories, and expectations. I think part of my role is just to be with people as they are, and not force them into a box of how I think they should be or act.
As an immigrant myself, I understand the difficulties of resettling in a new place, especially when language is a barrier to progress or communication. I feel very grateful to help so many families coming here for the first time to find a home, a community, and a new and better life. I am also grateful for this community and the ways you have made resettlement just a little bit easier for these families.
– Efoe Davis, World Relief Caseworker
Check Out World Relief Resettlement Services in Western Washington:
Afghan Resettlement Q&A with Executive Director Susan Sperry
As you likely saw in the news, US troops have withdrawn from Afghanistan, leaving many questions as to what happens next. We want to share with you how World Relief Chicagoland is responding and how you can help. To help answer some of these questions, we sat down with Susan Sperry, Executive Director of World Relief Chicagoland in a Q&A to explain what’s happening.
Q&A About Afghan Evacuation
What happens now that U.S. troops have withdrawn from Afghanistan?
Even though the US military is no longer present in Afghanistan, World Relief Chicagoland will continue to advocate for the evacuation of Afghan allies and their families. Just as any of us would flee an unsafe environment, we anticipate that those at risk will seek every available opportunity to leaveâŻAfghanistan.
We know that thousands of Afghans wereâŻevacuated so far. And they are arriving in one of two ways. For those who have yet to complete a full security screening, they are initially going to an external location like Qatar, before arriving in the United States in order to complete the security requirements of the United States.  For those that already have been screened and approved as a refugee or received a Special Immigrant Visa (see footnotes), they are coming directly to the United States. As they arrive, many families receive initial orientation at US military bases prior to being connected to resettlement organizations like World ReliefâŻChicagoland.Â
How many Afghans do you expect to arrive in Chicagoland?
Currently, we are preparing to welcome 150 Afghans in the weeks and months ahead. Some Afghans will have refugee status, others with Special Immigrant Visas, and others under humanitarian parole (see footnotes). These new neighbors would be in addition to the 700+ refugees from all over the world we are preparing to welcome this coming fiscal year (October 1, 2021, to September 31, 2022.) Â
Can you share more about refugees, Special Immigrant Visa holders (SIVs), and humanitarian parolees? How does each status impact an Afghanâs access to resettlement support? Â
It is important to remember that all the Afghan people coming are fleeing for the same reasons; they fear retaliation for their support of the US Military, their religious affiliation, gender, or human rights activity. They also need the same support when they arrive in the United States; housing, food, connections with a job, English language support, school connections, healthcare, and other vital services. At World Relief, we plan to assist all Afghans we resettle with these vital services. We expect this group in particular to need additional support.
How can I make the biggest impact?âŻâŻ
The biggest impact you can have is through engaging for the long term. We are at the beginning of a large-scale emergency response with long-term realities. We know it takes many years for refugees to rebuild their lives. And we expect that this will be no different for those arriving from Afghanistan. They have experienced such recent trauma and loss! Because of that, they will need our communityâs support, both now and in the years to come.Â
What are the volunteer opportunities?
We expect the need for volunteers will grow in the months and years ahead. That is because we expect to resettle refugees from Afghanistan as well as other countries. Volunteers can support as English tutors, friendship partners, helping with transportation, and more. We believe that everyone has a part to play in building a welcoming community. Our website is the best place to start the volunteer journey.
Because we are working to connect everyone with a way to serve, we ask for your patience if it takes a little longer than usual due to the abundant responses weâre receiving. And we are so grateful for that! As arrivals of Afghans and other refugees increase over the weeks and months ahead, we expect these opportunities to serve will also increase.
What can be done now?
Building Welcome Kits, financial partnership, and advocacy are significant ways that you can help now.  Gather a group from you church, family, or community to host a donation drive. Encourage friends and family to give. And join advocacy efforts.âŻYou can learn more about this here.Â
Where do I go to learn more, give, or get involved?âŻ
The best way for you to engage with World Relief isâŻto visit worldrelief.org/chicagoland/afghan-allies.
This page shares opportunities for churches, volunteers, financial partnership, and more, andâŻhas links to helpful resources. Itâs the best place for you to learn more about World Reliefâs response! And to learn ways you can make the biggest impact.âŻÂ
Helpful Definitions
A refugee:âŻsomeone forced to flee because of persecution, war, or violence. A refugee has a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Most likely, they cannot return home or are afraid to do so. War and ethnic, tribal, and religious violence are leading reasons why refugees flee. In the United States, UNHCR, the U.S. Government, and organizations like World Relief work together to ensure refugees receive access to benefits and other resources as they rebuild their lives.âŻÂ
HumanitarianâŻParole:âŻa status granted to someoneâŻwhoâŻisâŻeligible to come to the United States on a temporary basis due to an emergency. This allows the individual time to pursue Permanent Legal Resident status in the United States. Â
What does SIV mean/what is an SIV? The Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program was established under the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009. The intention of the program is to facilitate the expedited visa processing of Afghans whose lives were threatened as a result of their service alongside the US military. There are currently about 18,000 Afghan SIV applicants waiting to be processed and 53,000 family members in need of protection.
Thanks for reading this Q&A with Susan Sperry! Learn more about Afghan resettlement and how you can get involved here.
Staff Perspective Video: Why We Got the COVID-19 Vaccine
Watch World Relief Chicagoland staff share their reasons for getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
If you or someone you know need help making an appointment to get your COVID-19 vaccine, email WRDAvaccine@gmail.com.
Abdul and Yao: A Welcomer is Welcomed
World Reliefâs work would not be possible without the volunteers who give their time to connect with refugees and immigrants. From airport pickups to youth mentorship, volunteers play a pivotal role in helping families adjust to life in the United States. However, some volunteers might worry, âWhat if weâre too different? Will it be awkward if we donât have anything in common?â World Reliefâs volunteer tutor, Yao, shared a story about how he wondered the same â until the family of the boy he was tutoring showed him the power of a warm welcome.
The Gift of Volunteering
When you join World Relief as a volunteer, it is your gifts, abilities, and passion to make a difference that helps you connect with families and individuals rebuilding their lives in a new country. A World Relief volunteer tutor, Yao, was no different. As a trained nurse and child development worker from a country in West Africa, Yao came to the United States on a scholarship to gain further education in psychology and counseling. He brought those skills to his work as a volunteer tutor with World Relief, where he met the family of a little boy named Abdul.
North Meets South
Abdul and his family came from Yaoâs home country in West Africa â but their circumstances looked very different. While Yao was in the U.S. to study and prepare for a life in ministry, Abdul and his mother came to the United States four years after Abdulâs father Jacob arrived seeking asylum. Though they shared a common homeland, Yao and Abdul were also from different regions of the country and spoke distinct languages. In fact, relations between the north and south regions are strained by political and ethnic tensions.
Knowing this, Yaoâs worry was one that you and many other volunteers might also have. What would the family think of Yao, someone from their country but who had a very different cultural heritage? What if meeting Abdul and his family was tense or awkward?
Yao shared his concern, saying, âIn my country, there is an unspoken thing when you connect with somebody from the north. Either they are expecting you to treat them differently, or you yourself start treating them differently.â
However, Yao joined countless volunteers in World Reliefâs long history of serving immigrants and refugees and nevertheless stepped out in faith to serve. As his story shows, this choice brought him a blessing in return.
Despite his concern, Yao scheduled time with Abdulâs family to meet for the first time. Before launching tutoring sessions, everyone started by introducing themselves. Yao explained that he came from the south part of their country. Abdul and his father Jacob shared that they came from the north. Then Jacob, Abdulâs father, did something surprising. âWe didnât say anything about it right away,â Yao said, âBut then Abdulâs dad spoke to me in my native tongue.â In an unexpected turn of events, Jacob became the one offering a welcome â by relating to Yao in his own language. Yao says, âI was thinking, âOh, he spoke to me in my native tongue! Thatâs amazing!ââ After that, the conversation flowed much more easily. To Yao, it was as if Jacob had said, âI embrace your culture!â
From that moment on, the conversation flowed smoothly. According to Yao, âFrom there, we knew there wasnât going to be much tension. It was as if Abdulâs parents knew, âOkay, this person cares about our kid. Thereâs not going to be any struggle here.ââ
It was if he had said, “I embrace your culture.”
Becoming Family in the Midst of Crisis
When World Relief matches tutors with students, it is with a firm belief that not only will the studentâs life and education improve, but the relationship will be transformative for the tutor as well. Volunteers like Yao are examples of that dynamic. After their initial meeting, Yao and Abdul had several tutoring sessions. And then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
At that time, Abdulâs mother was pregnant, Abdul he had to finish first grade from home, and his father Jacob lost his job.
In the midst of this crisis, the World Relief community of volunteers and donors like you came together to respond. In a coordinated effort, World Relief provided a way for the community to provide food and gift cards to the family, continue Yao and Abdulâs tutoring sessions online, connect Abdulâs mother to an English tutor, and walk with the family as Jacob got a new job doing electrical assembly for air conditioners.
The relationship sparked when World Relief connected Yao to Abdul through the tutoring opportunity that has also continued. From the time that Jacob spoke Yaoâs language as a sign of friendship, the relationship between Yao and the family has provided a mutual sense of familiarity and comfort. Even as newcomers, Abdulâs family has extended hospitality and welcomed Yao for dinner several times. In return, they have visited Yaoâs home for meals too. âThey share news of their family with me, and I share news of my family with them,â Yao says. âWe became like a kind of family to each other here in America.â
Though the family has a long road ahead, a volunteer tutor and the generosity of other donors and volunteers, are helping them slowly rebuild a sense of home and belonging. Though Yao and Abdulâs families come from different regions and language groups, their shared experiences allow them to celebrate and help each other. A relationship with Yao has also given Abdulâs family something important: the chance to extend hospitality and welcome in return. Though their circumstances are different, âas immigrants here, we share the various sides of it,â Yao says. âWe go through some of the tough stuff and rejoice for some of the experiences that are great.â
World Reliefâs volunteers get to build relationships that might not happen otherwiseâbut that can be truly life-changing. Even as someone from the same country, Yao admits, âSince they are from the north and I am from the south, itâs hard to say how our relationship would have looked if we were back in our country.â Yet by signing up to tutor an immigrant student, he gained the opportunity both to welcome Abdul and his family to their new home and to receive their gift of hospitality in return. Volunteering creates this opportunity: a chance to connect with those who are different and extend a warm welcome â oftentimes being surprised and learning from the hospitality you receive in return.
Thank you for walking with Abdul and his family and for bringing them together with Yao. Your generosity helps families rebuild their lives — volunteer or donate today to discover how you too can be transformed in the process.
“Thank You” from the Early Childhood Program
Just like us at World Relief, we know you care about refugee and immigrant children and families. You’ve proved that this year. You showed up when there was a need.
Through your donations, you served nearly 100 refugee and immigrant students.
You provided students with learning tools they need to develop holisitically.
Without your partnership, these children and families would have had to navigate education during the pandemic in the midst of all of the other challenges COVID-19 has presented. Your support lifted a burden and created space for families with young children to thrive.
Thank you.
Rebuilding Dreams
Meet Medina! Sheâs 17, has learned four languages, and her dream is to be an English teacher. Her family is from the Afar people group of East Africa, and they were forcibly displaced from Eritrea to Ethiopia when Medina was a little girl. When she arrived in the U.S. in 2018, it was the second time she started learning a new country and new language.
âWhen I went from Eretria to Ethiopia, it was a different life. And now itâs a different life in the USA,â says Medina with a soft smile. âIn Eritrea I used to speak Tigrinya, because thatâs the language most of the people speak there. And when I came to Ethiopia, I completely forgot Tigrinya and I learned Amharic. Now in the U.S.A. Iâm kind of forgetting some Amharic, and Iâm learning English. My family speaks Afar, and I will never forget that language because we always speak it in the house and everywhere.â (Read Medina’s longer story here.)
When COVID hit and schools went virtual in March 2020, e-learning posed new challenges to Medinaâs progress with English.
âLearning on the computer is really hard, she says, âI go to Mather High School, and we are still not going in-person. The hardest part is sometimes the internet cuts off. Sometimes the computer is not working. Sometimes you just want to sleep. It goes from 8am to 3:15pm. You get tired of sitting all day.â
In the summer of 2020, a World Relief volunteer named Jenny began meeting online with Medina each week to provide extra learning support. (Read about Jennyâs path from interested to engaged here).
âJennyâs really nice. She lives in Indiana. She helps me with everything,â says Medina. âWe tell about ourselves. She tells me her story and I tell her my story. She told me about her family, and how sheâs going to university. Sheâs from Korea, and lives with her mother and father and brother, and has some family in Korea. Jennyâs dream job is to be a doctor, and my dream job is to be an English teacher. English is not easy, but if you try and never give up it gets better and better.â
As a volunteer in our Youth Program, you get to learn with and from determined young people like Medina as they continue their journey from one language and culture to the next and lay a foundation for their familyâs life in the United States.
Photos by Rachel Wassink | Writing and interview by Jacob Mau
H.O.M.E. Program
Through the H.O.M.E. Program, we at World Relief are partnering together with you â the church and community â to come along side asylum seekers by providing housing and community support. The programâs priorities are in the name: Housing, Opportunity, Mutuality, and Empowerment. Join us on Thursday June 3rd to learn more about the program and how you can get involved.
Thursday June 3rd from 12:00 â 1:00 p.m.
I was Only Thinking of My Kids
Four years ago, Maryam and her kids were in a much different situation than today. The family left their home in Dahok, Iraq the year ISIS took over Mosul (50 miles to the south) and killed thousands of Yazidi people in Sinjar (a hundred miles to the west). Maryam didnât share the details of their departure or why her husband did not flee with them. But it was clearly a dangerous region for Assyrian Christians like them, or any other religious minorities…
Maryamâwho preferred not to be photographedâhad three-year-old Jseeka (pictured above), two-year-old Danyal, and was five months pregnant when they left for Turkey. Hereâs what she had to say about that time:
âHere in America, we have a lot of things we want to do. We are going a step at a time. For example, we want to study, buy a car, learn how to drive, work. But in Turkey, there was nothing. We were just in transit. My kids didnât go to school. We were just waiting for the paperwork to come to America. Just sitting at home waiting for the processing. I was counting the time hour by hour.â
âI was always thinking about what I was going to do, how to survive, what to do with these kids. I was nervous and kind of depressed. But I was only thinking of my kids, and they gave me power to keep going. I was thinking, âI am here only for them. I have to be a strong woman for my kids.ââ
After two years and four months in Turkey, the family came to the United States through the refugee resettlement program. They joined Maryamâs parents, two sisters, and other relatives. Now they live a block from their neighborhood school. The extended family helps care for the kids. And twice a week Jseeka and Danyal attend a World Relief after school program hosted by a local church.Â
When you help refugees rebuild their lives, you give more than materials and services for kids like Jseeka and Danyal. You provide something immaterial: the sense of stability and growth that was lost in displacement. You walk with families as they move from displacement to belonging, retaining parts of their culture and adopting parts of American culture.
âI want my kids to keep learning English and to learn how to be on time, like Americans,â said Maryam. âYou guys are very organized here. When you say four oâclock, itâs four oâclock. Not six or seven. At 8:30, they close the door to my kidsâ school. If you get there at 8:31, youâre late and you have to take your kids in through the office and explain why.â
Maryam laughed as she said these words, her smile alone expressing a range of emotions that couldnât be articulated in a short conversation across a language and culture gap. But among them, a few were clear: strength, pride on behalf of her kids, and hope for a future together with her loved ones.Â
As a community of World Relief donors, you have helped 400,000 refugees and immigrants like Maryam, Jseeka, and Danyal rebuild their lives. Continue your support this month.
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