There are so many young adult Rohingya who were on the path to being successful. But then the unthinkable happened. They lost the vision of what they thought their life would be. And access to education is a huge part of that. Young people are finding themselves in a difficult spot. They want to move forward, but just simply don't have the resources to continue their learning journey. Our young friend Zubair told us that he wanted to learn English. When we asked him why, he said “English is the world’s favorite subject.” We decided that given Zubair's interest in learning English, we would give him all of the books that some of our generous supporters had generously given - about 50. He'll be the caretaker of the books for the entire community. Zubair was incredibly happy to have the books! He was so overcome with emotion that he wasn't breathing properly at first! The younger kids looked on eager to eventually get a chance to flip through the books themselves. We … [Read more...] about Books for Zubair
Campaigns
Smiles All Around
The Social Circus is a pretty cool group. Originally from Afghanistan, they've worked in places like Syria and Lebanon, treating refugee kids to a bit of fun. It's all about young people teaching and sharing activities that spark laughter and smiles, but the sessions are also educational - they teach useful things about health, hygiene, and other issues that are top of mind. The Social Circus was going to be in town, so we wondered if they could visit the Gundum community we've been spending time with. We asked...and they immediately said yes! The young people of the Social Circus really enjoy doing this – they're not only providing a fun experience for kids, but an education that can help them stay healthy and improve their well-being. And the kids in Gundum LOVED it. The crew brought everything they needed with them - props, juggling balls, and mats. And because of the bright colored objects and t-shirts all of the youth were wearing, it drew quite a crowd. … [Read more...] about Smiles All Around
Tea Time
Social gatherings are such an important aspect of Rohingyan culture. Yet in a refugee camp, after having fled so much tragedy, there aren't many things to celebrate or positive reasons to gather. Especially for women. We wanted to provide an opportunity for women from the community to come together and enjoy a social gathering, to usher some joy back into their lives. It was simple - just some tea, a shared meal, and a little fun. It was a community effort to pull it all together. Everybody pitched in to put up tarp around an existing communal space so there was some privacy. We bought a hot lunch for each of the women. After the meal, we brought in some henna and makeup artists, turned up the music, and made sure there was plenty of space for everyone to sit and talk. At first, the women were shy and quiet. But after some time in the private space, they opened up and enjoyed getting henna and talking to one another. It was clear they wanted the social activities to … [Read more...] about Tea Time
The Little Things
A few months ago, we brought you stories and change happening with the refugee Rohingya community. Today we're visiting with those friends again, doing what we can to get some families and communities on the road to recovery. Everybody can relate to the feeling of getting a great haircut - you feel refreshed and primped. You feel good. But this Rohingya community simply haven't had that luxury since they left home. Nearly everyone we talked to hadn't gotten a haircut since they arrived in the camps so many months before. We wanted to bring a little sense of normalcy and pride back into their lives. We offered free hair cutting services to everyone in the Gundum community, a neighborhood in the camp. By the time we arrived in the morning, the haircuts were already in process and people were lined up and ready to have a trim. People joked with each other about how much they needed a haircut and how much better they looked afterward. Joy began to grow and spread as more … [Read more...] about The Little Things
Queen of the Snows
Today we're a hop, skip, and a jump across the ocean, all the way to Minnesota! We're doing the doable with one of our own, Jilla Nadimi. This year, Jilla was given the incredible honor of being Queen of the Snows of the Twin Cities! The role is held for a year’s time, and the Queen gets to lead opportunities to do good in the community. Jilla knew all about 365, and she had an idea of her own... She wanted to fund a backpack giveaway as part of a back to school extravaganza! She hosted a wonderful event in the park, and families came from all over St. Paul to pick up a new backpack to start the school year off right. "As a parent, participating in this event helped me to see not everyone has the same resources to get their children off to a great 'back to school' start. Seeing the kids’ faces light up as they picked out their backpacks and their expressions of gratitude is not something I will forget. It warms your heart," said Dani Ross, a member of Jilla's Royal … [Read more...] about Queen of the Snows
A Comfy Spot
There is a women’s safe house nearby Mugombwa Refugee Camp that needs some love. The folks who run the hospital that houses the safe house do so much to help the community - so we wanted to do something to make their jobs a little easier. Neither of the safe rooms at the hospital feel very comforting. The rooms are used by women going through a difficult time - they're living in a new place, and questioning what comes next. So the last thing we want is for these women to lack basic comforts like blankets, sheets, and utensils. As soon as we heard about their needs, we set about doing what we could to fix it. We found warm blankets, new sheets, cooking utensils, colorful rugs, and power strips. Everything you would need to make a short stay somewhere feel like a temporary home! Small little changes like this can make all of the difference. Great ideas coming together to make things better for those we serve. … [Read more...] about A Comfy Spot
Let’s Dish
A local hospital near Mugombwa Refugee Camp takes in many refugees in emergency situations. When injuries or an illness go beyond what the clinics at the camp can support, this hospital is the best and closest option. The hospital also has a women’s safe house. It's a place where women can go to be treated and even stay following cases of domestic violence. Because the facility does so much to heal some of the refugees we serve, we wanted to give back to them. We sat down with the head doctor who told us about his idea for a new for a TV in the waiting room. They wanted to be able to show videos about ways to prevent violence against women, plus fun shows like soccer matches during the long wait times. We thought this was a great idea! We put up a TV, satellite dish, and provided a couple months subscription for the TV service. A TV and a show can increase the comfort of these women in an uncomfortable time in their lives. A small thing that makes a huge difference! … [Read more...] about Let’s Dish
Always Learning
In Rwanda, most of our work centers around keeping people safe. Because things like counseling and community support play such a big role in making sure refugees are no longer in danger, it's crucial that we're always operating at 100%. But we know there are always ways to do even better. One of our teammates in Rwanda had an idea to create a moment of learning - in the lobby! The waiting area of our counseling space was feeling a little ho hum. Why not see it as an opportunity to do something a little different? We put up a TV and got some DvDs all about preventing violence in the community. A little bit of entertainment will help ease someone's nerves as they wait for their appointment. Plus, it can help teach people what to look out for in abusive relationships - and how to get out of them. Sometimes just sticking to the status quo - even if you're really great at is - simply isn't good enough. Our team in Rwanda is always thinking about how to do things better. … [Read more...] about Always Learning
A Moment to Yourself
We've spent the past few days with students and the headmaster of a school at Nyabiheke Refugee Camp, and the time has gone too quickly! We're wrapping up and saying our goodbyes. But not before one last idea. This idea came again from Aimable, the headmaster at the school. He was trying to solve a problem affecting the young girls who study in his classrooms. As they get older, too many refugee girls have difficulty staying in school. One of the reasons they end of dropping out is because of their period - it can be tough to deal with it away from home. Aimable has already designed for that. The school has a room where young girls can go after they have gotten their period for the first time. But it was missing some essential items... The room has sanitary pads, a bed, a change of clothes, and a place to wash. It is meant to be a way to ease the sometimes-awkward moments of adolescence. But the problem? They just didn't have enough pads. So the idea was simple - … [Read more...] about A Moment to Yourself
Mural Mural on the Wall
Murals are like a beautiful billboard. They tell stories, send messages, and brighten up the overall feeling of a place. We love to use murals as a way to get the community involved and create a message that's important to them. The headmaster of the school near Nyabiheke Refugee Camp also loved this idea, and invited our artist friend Willie to come along and help us get creative. Before Willie cracks open the paint, he sits with people first. He figures out what they want the mural to represent, and what it might mean to them. After spending some time with the community, he crafted something unique. The mural he created depicts equal rights between men and women, and also the importance of education. Fits perfectly in an educational space! The mural turned out beautifully. Now the students will have wonderful art surrounding them, fueling their creative minds! … [Read more...] about Mural Mural on the Wall