National Refugee Project Overview

Sathya Sai Young Adults

United States of America

National Refugee Project

Project - Background

Nearly two decades of crisis in Bhutan sprang from

the ethnocentric policies and feelings of the

Government against the Nepali-speaking citizens of

southern Bhutan, called Lhotshampas. They have

become victims of the government’s “ethnic

cleansing” policies.

An estimated 107,000 Bhutanese refugees of

Nepalese origin have been living in seven U.N. camps

in southeastern Nepal - their home for the past 17

years.

The UN is now relocating these refugees into several countries including the US. Around 60,000 refugees will be displaced to the US up until 2013.

Project - Overview

The UN, through various non-profit organizations, is sponsoring the refugees for 5-6 months. This support includes food, housing, and basic training. The families expected to be independent by the end of this time-period.

Because of the current economic situation, very few families have been able to locate jobs, and are therefore not able to become self-sufficient within this 5-6 month timeframe.

Sai Centers and local Sai groups in Nashville, Boston, Memphis, Dallas, Cincinnati, Denver, Phoenix, and other cities are working to assist these refugees through the partner organizations in becoming independent.

Our purpose is to support the local groups all over the country as they assist refugees in their areas.

The project may expand to refugees beyond those from Bhutan in the future.

NRP Role

The National Refugee Project has two roles:

1. Support Local Groups from across the country that have identified various needs that they and the refugees they serve have.

2. When a new Local Group is forming in new cities (like Protland, OR, Seattle, WA, Oakland, CA), the NRP will provide support in the form of best practices and materials.

NRP will facilitate the formation of “working groups” in each of these Local Groups that will focus on and help address each category of need.

Working groups represent young adults from all over the country working on

needs of the local groups in various cities.

WORKING GROUPS

-Healthcare Education Group

-Financial Education Group

-Basic Computer Training Group

LOCAL

GROUPS

NRP Team Structure

Current Categories of Needs

1. Education Create pamphlets or lesson plans for different domains such as finance, health,

schooling system etc. These materials will help local groups provide the right information for the refugee families.

2. Job Search Research job opportunities available for the refugee families.

3. Supplies Help gather tangible items necessary to support the refugee families. For

example, computers, software, clothing, household items etc.

4. Information Exchange Create an effective means to store and share information among various groups.

The below list is only a small sample of all the needs. The needs will change from city to city.

Needs: 1. Education

Training/Lesson Plans

Financial lessons

Opening bank account

Applying for loans

Credit cards

Paying bills

Basic computer skills

Email/ Internet

Acquire donated computers for the families. Acquire useful software (MS Office, etc.).

Work with Comcast/other ISP to get free/reduced internet access

Needs: 1. Education

English Language Training

Reading/writing skills

Rosetta Stone has a good computer-based English learning system, however this

costs $250. Contact Rosetta Stone to try and get 100-200 copies donated.

Acquire Nepalese-English dictionaries

Healthcare System Awareness

Describe how the healthcare works

Needs: 1. Education

Education System Awareness

Describe how the schooling system works, including grades, standardized tests

(SAT, MCAT..), libraries etc.

Car driving lessons

Local transportation awareness (subways, buses)

Tutoring assistance for children (Math and Science)

Home cleaning/appliance trainings (using dishwasher, vacuum

cleaners, microwave, etc.)

Counseling Advise youth on applications, admission processes, financial aid for college.

Advice on career opportunities

Needs: 2. Job Search

Database

Applicants looking for jobs with their resumes

Job openings

Vocational Training

Most of them have had no opportunity to acquire job skills

Notes:

Refugees have no work permit restrictions (almost like a US citizen)

Look for jobs only in the cities they are living

Examples: Airports, Fitness centers

Needs: 3. Supplies

Computers, printers, software

Home appliances (microwave, iron press, kitchen appliances, utensils)

School textbooks

Winter clothing

Footwear

Grocery items

Needs: 4. Information Exchange

Document sharing

Share lesson plans, brochures, pamphlets

Communication between refugee families and also Sai Families/NRP

Database

Information of families

Job openings

Current issues in various cities

Interactive webpage with project details.