Who are Refugees?
A refugee is a person who has fled his/her home in order to escape persecution based on race, religion, nationality, social group, or political opinion. They leave everything behind and usually end up living for long periods in refugee camps, with no certainty of whether or not they will ever be able to return home.
There are over 15 million refugees worldwide, and less than 1% have the opportunity to receive legal refugee status, leave the camps, and begin new lives in a new country. With the help of the United Nations and the US Government, many of these men, women, and children have been given the opportunity to build a new life in America. After going through an application and review process, refugees are matched with a resettlement organization who will help fulfill their needs for their first 180 days in the US. Many arrive with the just the clothes on their backs and need substantial help adjusting and integrating into the culture.
Refugees in Buffalo
The refugees living in Buffalo have been sponsored by a local resettlement agency and have come to the US legally. Buffalo is home to refugees from across the globe, including Burma, Cuba, Iraq, Liberia, Kenya, Burundi, Somalia, Sudan, Nepal, Rwanda and Ukraine.
Currently there are approx. 1,000 refugee students in the Buffalo public schools who are listed as Limited English Proficient.
