USCRI VT Newsletter – September 2021

USCRI Vermont September 2021 Newsletter
On September 1st in a joint statement with State Refugee Coordinator Tracy Dolan, USCRI Vermont announced it had applied to the federal government to locate up to 100 Afghan refugees in Vermont over the next year. On September 17th, Governor Phil Scott announced that the request was approved by the U.S. Department of State. Arrivals are expected to begin resettling in Chittenden County and throughout the state this fall. “While we recognize the challenges of relocation, we know that Vermont has a great deal to offer to Afghans and their families who seek a peaceful and fulfilling future. And we are proud to see the outpouring of support from Vermonters who want to help,” said Tracy Dolan.

USCRI Vermont is excited to be a part of the new community effort to resettle some Afghan families in Rutland, VT over the next few months and into 2022. On Wednesday, September 7th Amila Merdzanovic, USCRI Vermont Director, appeared before the city’s Board of Alderman and shared the details of the plan to welcome Afghans in Rutland and other towns in southern Vermont. Amila was welcomed by the Rutland Mayor David Allaire, who offered his strong support for refugee resettlement. Board members joined the Mayor in expressing their support for resettlement. (photo by Emma Cotton/VTDigger)

Welcome to the Team, Rawa Hasan!

Hello my name is Rawa Hasan and I’m USCRI Vermont’s new Office Manager. I have been working with USCRI Vermont since 2017 as an Arabic Interpreter. I have a deep understanding of refugee issues as I was once a refugee myself.
I immigrated with my family to the U.S. from Baghdad, Iraq in 2008 and was welcomed by USCRI Vermont with open arms. Since then, I have been working on immersing myself in immigrant communities through interpreting and community outreach. I obtained a degree in Business Administration in Baghdad which has imbedded in me the skills of leadership, management, and teamwork, all of which I hope to continue to integrate with my work with USCRI. Through my work as an interpreter, I have developed skills and connections to best serve new arrivals and refugee families. I am very excited to work to ensure all new arrivals and refugee families are supported on their journey to self-sufficiency and become a addition to Vermont’s success.
USCRI Vermont Welcomes New Arrivals 

Welcome to Vermont! Ernestine Tuyishime, Jacques Nsabiyaremye, and Adeline Nsabiyaremye from the Democratic Republic of Congo are greeted by family members at the Burlington International Airport on September 7th. 

Register for the Monthly Volunteer Orientation 
We will be hosting a series of online Volunteer Orientations on Zoom throughout the fall. The next one will be Wed, Sept 22nd from 12:30-1:30pm. To access the Zoom meeting link, email: volunteer@uscrivt.org.

Volunteer Opportunities include:
Family Friend
English Tutor
Youth Mentor
Administrative assistant
In-Kind Donations (pick up or organize)
Apartment Set Up
Transportation (client appointments)
Intern
Meet Baudouin Mandaba, USCRI Interpreter 

 
Hello, I’m Baudouin Mandaba, USCRI Vermont’s full time Interpreter. As a pentalingual Interpreter-Translator, my role at USCRI is to serve as a bridge of communication between the whole community of French-Swahili-Lingala-Kikongo-speaking immigrants and USCRI staff and outside service providers who only speak English. I myself am an immigrant from the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa, and understand thedifficulties refugees and immigrants face very well. I can say from experience that the first two years of resettling in Vermont are not easy at all for new arrivals.

The need for interpretation is so great that it prompted me to get involved in making a career out of it in order to be useful to refugees and immigrants who face language and cultural challenges. Interpreting can be critical in the case of something like a medical emergency where communication between doctors and the client is essential. In a court setting, a client needs very precise interpretation in order to help them explain their case and to understand their legal rights.

My favorite part of this job is seeing clients are satisfied after the service I give to them. This satisfaction creates joy in the client and even in my heart because the client has found the solution to a language barrier thanks to my talent as an interpreter. This work also helped me to discover and appreciate several other areas of immigrant life because each immigrant is a special case and has a new life experience. Overall, the work is fulfilling because I’m giving the best of myself and trying to exceed client expectations, by God’s help.
Donations Needed for Families 
Have items you’d like to donate to help our families? Please contact Laurie Stavrand at lstavrand@uscrivt.org and schedule a drop-off. We request that all items be clean, functional, and in good shape. Donations are tax deductible and receipts are available for all donations. We are currently in need of the following items: baby strollers, sheets, blankets, towels, glassware, silverware, large pots, large bowls, kitchen knives, cutting boards, can openers, pot holders, scissors, alarm clocks, laundry baskets, laundry carts, welcome mats, curtain tension rods, and curtains. Thank you for your donations!
Click here for full job announcement:
https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=95b1fb83-92bd-4515-841c-8cadfdb3dc44
Thank You to All Our Donors & Supporters 
Over the last few weeks we have seen an enormous level of generosity from volunteers, donors, and the community as we prepare to welcome new Afghan parolees and arrivals to Vermont in the coming months. A big Thank You to everyone who has contacted us and offered housing, furniture, clothing, household supplies, transportation, financial donations, and overall community support. Special thanks go out to Senator Patrick Leahy’s office, Anders Pytte, Mentor Vermont, Gregory Vaut/Fidelity Charitable, Laural Ruggles, Jane Dolan, Elise Schadler, Catherine Simonson, Colin Barrett, Lisa Parrot, Audry Coty, and the dozens of new donors who have contributed to USCRI Vermont over the last few weeks.
Thank you so much!