Young Adult Summer Group Celebrates Another Successful Year with a Splash
For the fourth consecutive summer, World Relief Sacramento’s Young Adult Summer Group brought together Afghan women ages 18 to 23 for an enriching eight-week experience designed to build confidence, friendships, and practical life skills. Since launching in 2022, the program has become a summer highlight for participants, providing a welcoming space where young women can learn, connect, and simply enjoy being together.
This year’s program was especially exciting because, for the first time, it combined three key components into one packed schedule. Meeting four days a week, including one in-person gathering, participants explored topics that supported their health, education, integration, and English language development.
The first component, First Aid Arts, was led by our Health & Wellness and Education team and quickly became a favorite. Participants shared that meeting in person each week was often the highlight of their week. Friendships formed fast as the young women spent time together, enjoying a sense of independence, connection, and “girl time” in a space created just for them.
The program also included an expanded Integration component and practical ESL training. Through discussions, activities, and field trips, participants learned how to navigate healthcare, pharmacies, and educational systems in the United States. A visit to American River College helped introduce them to future educational opportunities and possibilities. Because the program was delivered entirely in the participants’ native language, the young women could fully engage, ask questions, and get the most out of every session. ESL lessons focused on building practical English skills for everyday life, including understanding numbers and prices, communicating during appointments, and navigating common interactions in the community.
Graduation Day Makes a Splash
Thanks to The Alliance, every YASG graduate received a fully stocked backpack filled with essentials for the year ahead.
The program wrapped up with a graduation celebration that was every bit as special as the summer itself. Fifteen participants gathered for a private pool party hosted by a first-time World Relief volunteer who had heard about our work through her congregation. With incredible generosity, she opened both her heart and her home to the graduates, volunteers, staff, and teachers, creating a women-only space where everyone could relax and celebrate.
The graduates received certificates of completion along with swag bags from Patelco, made possible through the help of Shaida Samimi, wellness kits complete with yoga mats, and fully stocked backpacks donated by The Alliance. There was pizza (thank you, Shaida!), a potluck filled with delicious Afghan dishes, and plenty of laughter.
But the pool was undoubtedly the star of the day. Many of the girls were so excited that they practically launched themselves into the water. Watching them laugh, splash, and enjoy a carefree afternoon felt like witnessing a level of freedom, confidence, and independence that every young woman deserves to experience. And when it came time to get out? Like young people everywhere, they begged for just a little more time in the pool.
Of course, they got it.
Because sometimes the most meaningful part of a program isn’t what’s taught in the classroom. It’s the confidence, friendships, and freedom that follow long after the lessons are over.
Graduates received swag bags courtesy of Patelco, adding an extra touch of celebration to a special day.