Stories
Never too late: father of eight is reunited with his children at last
Six years ago, David Kenene was welcomed to the U.S. by World Relief Memphis. His eight children, however, had been left behind during the immigration process. After years of waiting, he was finally able to reunite with them this month. This is his story, as told to our summer intern Cierra Hunter. I am Ugandan.…
Read MoreFacing big dreams: American citizenship makes them reality
This summer, our interns attended an ethical storytelling workshop in partnership with the University of Mississippi. To learn the ropes of the industry, they were tasked with interviewing immigrants within their community. Mobilization intern Peace spoke with Chisom about what being an American would mean to her.
Read MoreGrateful to Be a Citizen
Paw Shee loves to read, especially books that teach her about “what happened in the past.” And on her journey to becoming a citizen, citizenship classes became a platform that fueled that desire to learn. “I love to read the books they gave me about U.S. history,” Paw said, emphasizing, “they gave me whole books!” Paw…
Read MoreSafety at Last: Francois’ Story
Living in Burundi during the Civil War, Francois spent much of his life in fear. He was constantly immersed in the struggle of “two ethnicities fighting against each other.” In December of 1996, he was relocated to a Tanzanian refugee camp with little access to water or electricity. In the context of all he had…
Read MoreTEDxTalk: One Refugee’s Life Experience | Côme Nzibarega
Born and raised in Burundi, Côme Nziberaga has a gift for languages; he speaks five – French, Swahili, Kirundi, Amharic, and English. In 2005, languages helped him land a job as a translator for a United Nations peacekeeping force sent to Burundi, which for decades has been plagued by conflicts between the nation’s two largest…
Read MoreSaima’s Kitchen World
Growing up in Pakistan, Saima never went to school. Her family did not have internet access, so she spent her days cooking alongside her mom, preparing dishes ranging from the Afghan classic bolani to the Pakistani biryani. Over time, she began to try different recipes that were less familiar to her and her culture—ice cream,…
Read MoreI Never Expected to Be a Refugee
When Life Felt Almost Perfect I never expected to be a refugee. I joined a university when I was 18 years old, enrolling in the English department at Basra (the Port of Iraq). At the end of my time there, I graduated second in my department. After graduation, I stayed two more years as a…
Read MoreOne of the Lucky Ones
On September 28, 2016, Alphonse and his sister were welcomed to the United States by World Relief Memphis staff and volunteers eager to help. Just a few months later, the number of refugees to be admitted to the United States was drastically cut. In the span of a few months, people’s hopes and dreams of rebuilding a life in the U.S., safe…
Read MoreMore to Offer: Abe’s Story
In honor of the recently increased refugee cap, we’re sharing stories from some of the brave Quad Cities refugees and immigrants who strive to create a community of welcome for those following in their footsteps. Together, we can [Re]Build. Mbanzamihigo “Abe” Ibrahim’s first memory of the U.S. is of fireworks. “It was two days away from the Fourth of July.…
Read MoreSurviving to Thriving: Dim’s Story
In honor of the recently increased refugee cap, we’re sharing stories from some of the brave Quad Cities refugees and immigrants who strive to create a community of welcome for those following in their footsteps. Together, we can [Re]Build. When Dim was a child, her father had to leave Myanmar to work in another country. It was the only way…
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