How a website you have never heard of is helping refugees through uncertain times.
Apr 28, 2022
Story
Portland, OR, February 16, 2017 – Mohamud was not surprised when he heard the news about the Executive Order. Like many Somalis, he follows political news closely and he had heard President Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric on the campaign trail. But he was deeply saddened when he learned that the ban would stop his wife and children from coming to the United States.
“I am the first victim of Trump’s new order,” Mohamud said that day. However, like many refugees, Mohamud did not really understand the ban. Did it mean refugees would have to leave the United States? What could he do to keep his wife and children safe from afar? Mohamud’s first thought was to turn to a website, therefugeecenter.org.
Mohamud wants more than anything for his family to be reunited. He was resettled to the United States four years ago and has been praying for his family to join him since that day. He has worked two and sometimes three jobs since he arrived in the states, sending as much money as possible home to his wife and young sons. Mohamud plans to apply for citizenship as soon as he is eligible this November. He has been using the Refugee Center Online’s free online citizenship course to help him prepare. In addition to his day job, at night he works at a parking garage. When he isn’t workings, he has been studying for the citizenship civics exam on his cell phone.
“I am studying the U.S. government system and I admire the system, most of all the division of power. But I did not understand what is an Executive order.”
Mohamud got on his mobile phone and went to the Refugee Center Online because he knew he would find the information he needed.
“The best thing,” said Mohamud, “is that the Refugee Center Online had a recording in Somali. I sent this recording not only to my wife, but also to all of my friends even those still in Somalia.”
One of those friends is Maryan, another refugee from Somalia who was resettled to the U.S. last year. Maryan has three daughters. Today she works hard to acquire English literacy skills (an opportunity she didn’t have in her mother tongue), however they are not enough to understand the content of the executive order. When she first heard about the travel ban, she began to cry. She thought she would have to go back to Somalia. But after hearing the Refugee Center Online’s recording about the Executive Order and the travel ban, she felt less confused and less afraid. “I sent the recording to every Somali I know,” said Maryan. “It helped us understand.”
The Refugee Center Online is a website built specifically for refugees and immigrants living in the United States. “Our goal is to make information easily accessible. Especially during this time, we are glad to be able to help newcomers find resources that are easy to understand and help ease fears,” said Jessica Marks, founder and co-president of the Refugee Center Online.
Thousands of people viewed the Refugee Center Online’s translated pages about the Executive Order in the days following the announcement. Many of them were able to read and understand the information because the RCO had worked urgently with translators to have it ready in languages not commonly available online.
It was not just refugees from the seven banned countries who were confused and scared by the Executive Order. For many refugees, government is already something to be distrusted. Many have fled repressive regimes or governments that could not protect them.
For example, Poe, a refugee from Burma, wondered if the Executive Order targeted Karen refugees (the Karen are an ethnic minority from Burma, most of whom are Christian or Buddhist). “It felt like we were being targeted by the government again, this time just for being refugees,” said Poe.
Poe looked to the Refugee Center Online to find information for him and his friends. “I have a friend who had gone to Thailand to see his mother because she was sick,” said Poe. “But he was very worried he could not get back into the U.S” since the ban was announced while he was abroad. Poe found the information he needed on the Refugee Center Online website, in Karen language, so that he could help his friend.
“He [Poe’s friend] felt much better after he read and understood the information in our Karen language. There was no other place to find information in Karen. This is a time when many of us [refugees] are scared and confused. We are glad to have a place to find the information we need.”, said Poe.
To help refugees and immigrants build new lives in the United States, make a donation today.
CONTACT: Jessica Marks
Co-president
The Refugee Center Online
(503) 468-5474
How to Get Involved
You can get involved by becoming a volunteer translator for the RCO. For more information contact: info@therefugeecenter.org
