Read stories about incredible mothers from our field offices
FOR OVER 110 YEARS, ADVANCING THE RIGHTS AND LIVES OF REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS
Dear Friends,
This Mother's Day, the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) is honored to share the stories of four mothers working for and with USCRI in our field offices. These women have all overcome incredible hardship to build lives for themselves and their families in the U.S. We are proud to be part of their journey.
Through our donor's support, USCRI is able to support mothers and families by helping them find housing and navigate the healthcare system, providing childcare support, after-school programs, and language classes, and much more. This would not be possible without your donations.
This Mother’s Day, celebrate a mother in your life by donating ([link removed]) to USCRI in her honor to support these and other incredible mothers as they find safety and security in the U.S.
Sincerely,
Eskinder Negash
President and CEO
USCRI
AISHA AMANI
Aisha (right) and her daughter, Shaista (left)
When Aisha came from Kabul, Afghanistan, after the Taliban took over, she quickly learned how car-dependent Atlanta, Georgia is. She now lives in Gwinnett County, a suburb outside of Atlanta with very limited public transportation. Aisha shared, “I am so thankful to be able to safely live with my only daughter Shaista and my three grandkids… I love to cook for the house, but I wish I could drive myself to the grocery store instead of waiting for a ride.” Aisha wants to learn English and get her driver’s license, so she can be more independent, take her grandkids to the doctor if there is ever an emergency, and go to appointments with her attorney at USCRI. “I always joked when I was younger that I wanted to be a truck driver,” Aisha said. However, up until recently, there was no option to take the permit test in Dari. With the advocacy of her daughter Shaista, Aisha was able to take the permit test with a live translator in Dari and passed with flying colors. Now her next goal is to get
her green card so she can continue being independent and have the peace of mind to stay in the U.S. and visit family members abroad as she pleases.
SHILA AHMADI
Shila Ahmadi, a woman sitting in a chair
Shila came to Albany, New York, one year and five months ago from her home country of Afghanistan. A native speaker of Dari, she immediately enrolled in English classes and has attended them every week while taking care of her family, which includes two children under six years old. Several months ago, Shila was given the bad news that she was progressively losing sight in her left eye—despite this and while going through treatment, she continues to persevere and is known in her community as a wonderful mother, hard worker, and generous spirit.
Shila Ahmadi
MAKE A GIFT ([link removed])
DEVI POUDEL
Devi with her husband and daughters
“USCRI was a big help when I first came here,” says Devi Poudel, who arrived in Erie, Pennsylvania from Bhutan in December 2016. “The children were still small (ages 3 and 6), and it was hard.” Devi’s husband would not receive refugee status and permission to join them for nearly six more years, so she was a single parent through the resettlement process.
“USCRI Erie picked us up from the airport, set up our household, and helped me to find a job at Erie Cotton,” where she still works today to provide for her family. “I had other help from USCRI with the children too.” USCRI Erie tries to resettle new families within walking distance of the field office so they can take advantage of all the services that will help them adjust to life in their new community, including an on-site pre-K childcare center with an afterschool program that serves children through 8th grade. “The children are doing very well in school and are now ages 9 and 13.”
The girls are thrilled to have their family reunited now since their father arrived last summer, but they recognize the courage and fortitude it took for their mother to begin their journey to the United States as a solo parent. Looking at her parents, younger daughter Richal says, “Before he arrived, she took care of everything, and older daughter, Recica concurs, “She’s amazing. Amazing.”
MARY ROSE MUHAMMAD
Mary Rose Muhammad is a Case Aide and ESL teacher at USCRI Dearborn. She is a mother of three kids, 14, 11, and 7 years old. Originally from Lebanon, Mary Rose, now a US citizen, takes great pride in her children’s ability to attend school in the United States.
Her 14-year-old earned his way into the #6 best middle school in Michigan and is set to begin high school in the fall. Her 11-year-old then earned his way into the #2 best elementary school in Michigan and is set to start middle school in the fall. Mary Rose is eager for her children to be able to express the academic excellence she always knew was in her family but never had the ability to explore in Lebanon.
Mary Rose Muhammad
Thank you to Aisha, Shila, Devi, and Mary Rose for sharing your stories and for all you do for your families and your communities.
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USCRI, founded in 1911, is a non-governmental, not-for-profit international organization committed to working on behalf of refugees and immigrants and their transition to a dignified life.
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