About US
When refugees arrive in the United States, many organizations come together to meet basic needs for their first 3 months.
But our founders know more than anyone that holistic and long-lasting community care must extend beyond that.
We facilitate the transition for refugee families in the United States by helping them become self-sufficient and productive members of American society.
We provide a place of community for African refugees to maintain their cultural and ethnic identity as they assimilate to life in the U.S.
We promote gender equality among the refugee community. We believe that strong and informed women and mothers promote healthy, productive families and communities.
We advocate for the needs of refugees in the U.S. and serve as a resource for agencies and groups to foster a greater understanding of the refugee community in the state of Rhode Island.
International Women's Day 2024
PROGRAMS & PROJECTS
Women's Empowerment Group
African Manufacturing Project
Give a Smile to Your Neighbor
Our Women’s Empowerment Group is a weekly peer-to-peer support group for refugee women, providing them a safe space to de-stress and seek mental health support with the aim to promote gender equity and empower women.
Education Advocacy Program
The African Manufacturing Project offers sewing training and the opportunity to continue dressing in traditional African clothing. Its objectives are to make it possible for the African community to dress as they do in Africa and to create opportunities for women to come together, to work and learn to sew together, and further their empowerment and growth.
Mentor Program
Our “Give a Smile to Your Neighbor” program is were we distribute necessities to the refugee community. Our partnership with the Rhode Island Community Food Bank allows us to provide cultural food staples, fish and other items that refugees can’t access with food stamps.
Welcome Program
In this program WRC helps as a liaison between the RI Dept. of Education and refugee families. This work entails sensitizing school administrators and teachers on the unique background of refugee children. It also involves educating parents that have arrived in the U.S. about the education system, how to enroll, and what the expectations are for their children in school.
In the Mentor Program we aim to provide each recently settled refugee family with a mentor. This mentor forms a bond with the family and helps them adapt to the U.S. culture, learning the language, and showing them around the neighborhood. The goal is to achieve social-economic empowerment.
WRC provide immediate support to refugee families who arrive in Rhode Island. When refugees are greeted at the airport, they are provided with food from their native country, household items and clothes. We also work with other resettlement agencies to ensure someone speaks the language of the refugee family for a warm welcome and answer any questions the family has. Furthermore, provide any immediate need they may have.
Refugee Youth
Program
In this program volunteers, college students and refugee youth come together on a weekly basis for workshops and programming on different topics such as: computer literacy, civic awareness, mental health issues, financial literacy, CV building, etc. Along with having guest speakers and community presentations. This program allows the refugee youth to invest in their character, apply higher education and grow alongside with the community.