By Paghunda Ali
Integrated Refugees and Immigrant Services (IRIS) is helping Afghan refugees in New Haven navigate the challenges of resettlement, providing essential support as they rebuild their lives after fleeing from conflict.
In the wake of conflict and turmoil, the journey of Afghan refugees to safety often begins with uncertainty and fear. As most arrive in New Haven, these individuals carry with them not only their hopes for a brighter future but also the weight of their past experiences – stories of loss, war, and persecution. IRIS stands as a source of help in this challenging transition, offering many resources to those navigating the complexities of resettlement.
“Think about it. You’re Afghan. You’ve come to the U.S. possibly with very little English. And in only 90 days we have to assist [you], ” IRIS’ Executive Director Maggie Mitchell Salem said.
Since the fall of Kabul on August 15th, 2021, there has been an influx of Afghan refugees as they flee from conflict.
Upon arrival, refugees are granted a 90-day period during which they receive assistance from IRIS in areas such as housing, education, and employment. However, this timeframe can be particularly daunting.
“The 90-day period for self-sufficiency is particularly challenging, with mental and physical health issues requiring long-term support.” Salem told the News.
However, this causes the 90-day period to be an intense period of time in which IRIS rigorously provides the refugees everything they need to settle in.
The Department of State in Washington’s office known as Population Refugees and Migration, as well as the Office of Refugee Resettlement in the Department of Health and Human Services, provide the main government funding for the IRIS.
“We receive a per capita, an amount per client [for any refugee] and so that amount is set and [estimated to be] around $2,400 total,” Salem said. “We set up their home, their apartment, with beds and other key furnishing items. [We provide] housing, which is the primary expense, but also food for their first week.”
In partnership with IRIS, many Yale students volunteer with the organization to offer tutoring and other services for the refugees.
“The refugees having someone to turn to and to talk to is something that is extremely vital and important for them,” Ilham Muhammad Abdelkadir, one of the Yale volunteers, said. This community involvement not only aids the refugee but also fosters connections to help their new transition into a new life.
Fereshteh Ganjavi is a former Afghan refugee and founder of “Elena’s Light,” a non-profit organization created to make further efforts into helping the women and children refugees.
She and her mother fled from Afghanistan in 2011 to begin their new lives in New Haven, and were being supported by the IRIS. Soon, Ganjavi began working with the IRIS, as she was inspired by many lives they’ve touched.
“As soon as I graduated college, I started a job at IRIS as a healthcare coordinator for three years,” Ganjavi said. “I was able to get in contact with a lot of refugee immigrants who wanted to learn. What I did was just from my heart. I just really wanted to do something for my community.”
One of the challenges faced among the refugees is the language barrier. Most of the Afghan refugees who flee to the U.S. do not speak English at a proficient level. This issue limits them from many opportunities in the U.S.. IRIS works to fix this issue as they provide daily English tutoring for all refugees.
Gangavi explained that when her family first fled to the U.S., English was a barrier that made everyday tasks feel daunting and isolating. She recalls a particularly challenging moment:
“[My mother, husband and I could only speak] ‘Hi’ and ‘How are you?’. I remember when I needed a pot to cook, I had to draw it out for my caseworker.”
However, these moments were something that empowered Ganjavi.
She didn’t allow a language barrier to stop her, which caused her to spend many hours in libraries and English lessons to speak proficiently.
“I had to study 24 hours. Anywhere there would be an English class, you would find me there.” Ganjavi said.
For Ganjavi and her family, as well as other refugees, it was hard fitting into the new environment after being forced to abandon home.
“The first night when we came to the U.S., we were given our key to our new home and I was excited. But deep down, I felt that loneliness that no one [we knew] was around us. My mother and I tried to sleep, but by the middle of the night we both couldn’t sleep and we just started crying together the whole night.”
During these tough times, IRIS became a huge support for Ganjavi, which is something she says she won’t forget. She says that IRIS is always there to “support you when you’re stuck.”
Gangavi also recalled how one day in the beginning of living in the U.S., when she and her mother were walking downtown from her home, on their way back they couldn’t trace back to their home.
“I sat in the corner and started crying, and I just told my mom I couldn’t do any of this life.” Gangavi said. “I wanted to change the world right now, yet I couldn’t even find my way back home.”
This moment of vulnerability became a turning point for Ganjavi, as it ignited a spark of self-empowerment that urged her to take action in her community.
“However, I realized if I sit here and cry, nothing’s gonna change. I have to stand up, talk and ask for help,” she said.
Fueled by this determination, Ganjavi began her journey to making an impact.
She began a pilot program which was the foundation to achieving many other accomplishments.
“I started a pilot program for two years, which went very well. One day I had many people who came to me and said, ‘let’s make this a nonprofit,’ ‘this is a need for the community,’” Ganjavi said. “It’s been five-six years now, and we are now a non-profit called Elena’s Light, and I’m the founder and the director.”
Reflecting on the journey that led to the establishment of Elena’s Light, Ganjavi empathizes how her past as a refugee profoundly influenced her mission.
“Being a refugee was one of the strengths in my life. It’s hard to be a refugee, but it was one of the privileges for me, to help me be the person I am now. Those experiences have built me to be the person who I am.”