International Rescue Committee - Boise, Idaho

     

      The IRC is dedicated to supporting refugees escaping oppression and violent conflict from around the world.  They are committed to freedom, human dignity and self-reliance.  The IRC opened an office in Boise in 2006 and have already resettled several hundred refugees in the area.  The majority of the refugees are women and children from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Burma.  They face language, social, psychological, and economic challenges in their effort to resettle in the United States.
     

      The Whitney Foundation has awarded a grant to the International Rescue Committee-Boise to begin an experiential learning program.  Refugee women will take part in a three-month program focusing on English language acquisition and employment preparation.  This will be accomplished by working on practical skills such as money management, cooking, hygiene, shopping, using mass-transit, and taking field trips to service providers.  English language lessons will be an integral part of these activities. 
   

      The grant will provide funds for a literacy and life skills coordinator, interpreters, translated learning materials, and supplies. 
     

      The program will also educate the women on their rights and responsibilities as new U. S. residents, while addressing issues such as self-worth, family leadership, domestic violence, and reproductive rights.