By Kaitlin Fritz and Kaitlin Riznyk
BengalNews Reporters
Imagine spending two decades of your life living in a refugee camp and after years of the same daily activities, being resettled on the West Side or another neighborhood in Buffalo.
For the 1,300 refugees that will resettle in Buffalo this year, the learning or re-learning of daily activities is necessary for a smooth integration into American culture.
This is where organizations like the International Institute of Buffalo come into play.
The International Institute of Buffalo, 864 Delaware Ave., has been assisting the resettlement of refugees and immigrants into the community for almost 100 years.
The refugees whom the institute sees have never seen a grocery cart. They have never walked down the aisles of a vast supermarket and decided what they need to provide dinner for themselves. Some have never seen an American dollar bill, let alone used one. The institute needs to help them with the trivial tasks that we take for granted every day.
The United States government brings 76,000 refugees to the United States each year, said Eva Hassett, executive director of the Institute. Once refugees are chosen, their information is given to a resettlement organization, and a caseworker decides whether they would like to take the case.
Once the institute accepts a group of clients, a caseworker is given enough money to provide an apartment, furniture, food and a few other basic necessities to get the refugees on their feet in their new home. The institute is financed through government assistance, public contributions and grants.
The caseworker must “close the case” after 90 days. In those 90 days the institute specializes in supporting its clients and turning them into functioning American residents.
Caseworkers will teach the refugees daily activities such as how to clean their home, pay bills, make doctor’s appointments, shop for groceries, take public transportation, use the library and find culturally appropriate shopping markets.
The assimilation process is difficult, especially because many refugees can’t speak the language and have little to no education.
Despite the forces against the refugees, they have become successful because of their determination, Hassett said.
“They know they’re lucky,” Hassett said. “They work really hard to assimilate… They usually are taking English lessons, working entry-level jobs, going to school to get a degree and taking care of their children… If you ask any refugee what their dream is, they will say it is to become an American citizen.”
According to Hassett, there are 41 million people living in refugee camps around the world today. Those who are resettled in the United States may be considered lucky because 99 percent living in these camps around the world will never find a new home.
Caseworkers and volunteers spend their 90 days with their clients signing them up for English lessons (available at the institute), navigating the healthcare system, getting them enrolled in school and finding them a steady job.
After the 90 days is over, the refugees must support themselves and their families on their own.
Ashley Otto, volunteer and resources coordinator at the institute, said she finds that the most unique quality about the International Institute, as compared to other resettlement organizations, is the continuous support the organization provides for the refugees after they are no longer clients.
“We’re working on buying hot meals for new refugees from an old client who opened up a business in Buffalo,” Otto said.
Not only is the organization responsible for helping the clients achieve employment, but it has also created working relationships with some of its successful clients who have opened businesses in the area.
The institute is working on a program that will provide leadership training to representatives from the countries with the highest refugee populations including Burma, Buton and Iraq.
The leaders learn how to trust and work with law enforcement, to know their rights as a citizen and how to use them, to speak publicly, to learn how to ask for help and how to work with employers in the community.
Once the refugee representatives are trained, they will help other refugees that speak their native language learn the skills needed for a successful resettlement. The institute is working on DVDs featuring each of the leaders to give to new refugees when they arrive.
Edited by Julia Merulla
