Month: June 2018

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Leaving Home

Refugee Centre in Malta – photo credit: Tim Barnes – IAFR

One of my colleagues posted this line from a Somali poet (Thanks Shanna!)

“No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark” – Warsan Shire (Somali Poet)

Wow, this rings so true with many of the conversations I have had with those who have been displaced.  The challenges and risk of seeking refugee, dwarf in comparison to the conflict, conditions, and fear at home.  When I see and hear about their experiences on the journey, I cannot begin to imagine what they have left.

Our Director of Church Training, Rachel Uthmann, and our team have put together a one hour webinar on Refugee Realities.  If you have interest in better understanding the global refugee situation, this would be a great place to start.  The webinar is being offered two times this week.  

The first time is Wednesday, June 6 at 9 am CDT.  You can sign up here.

The second time slot is Thursday, June 7 at 7 pm CDT.  You can sign up here.

We hope you will join us at one of these times.

Posted on

Education

Meeting with leaders in Uganda – photo credit: IAFR Canada

Education of refugee children is an incredible challenge in refugee environments…an issue that has moved a number of us in IAFR.  The topic comes up repeatedly in our discussions with refugee church and community leaders during our visits to refugee camps. 

A few of our colleagues from IAFR Canada and Jake Tornga, from IAFR USA, are currently visiting refugee environments in Uganda…and once again the issue of education has come up.  How do we help refugee children receive an effective education so they can become influencers of future change in their countries?

Here are some things IAFR is doing:

Partnering with a church in the DC area to provide scholarships for several refugee girls to attend boarding school outside the Kakuma Refugee Camp.

Finding resources to help support pre-schools started by refugee churches in Dzaleka Refugee Camp.

Working on a possible project that would allow the Dzaleka Christian Churches Union (DCCU) to start and operate a primary school in the Dzaleka Refugee Camp.

Exploring other educational opportunities for asylum seekers in the European context.

Education is a significant avenue to help refugees survive and recover from forced displacement.