KHRW's Four self-sufficiency Program Activities

1. Refugee and
   Immigrant Services,
   
2. Community Strengthening
   (Building and Empowerment),
   
3. Employment / Economic Development, and
   
4. Kurdistan Rehabilitation
   and Reconstruction

Resettled Family

Refugee
and Immigrant Services

These services enable refugees to meet their basic survival needs, especially for newly arrived clients. They also prepare clients to become both economically and socially self-sufficient in their new homeland. They include assistance regarding food, housing, medical treatment, school, employment, legal status, and psychological & family crises. Mentors provide support in adjusting to the American culture and institutions.

Resettled Family in the Seattle area

Major Achievements

Thus far in 1998-1999 [as of July 1, 1998] 1,588 clients in Fairfax County have received resettlement assistance such as housing, counseling, life skills, cross-cultural orientation, ESL training, mentoring, job search and placement. Orientation and community strengthening is provided in overall Washington DC area [including Maryland Counties of Montgomery and Prince George’s] and in San Diego. During the past two years cross-cultural orientation was provided in other states such as Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, Oregon, Washington State, Missouri, and elsewhere. KHRW has provided over 2000 inquiries and referrals, 846 clients have received emergency assistance [including legal and medical], 508 unduplicated families have resolved crises and met basic survival needs [including food, housing, and work] and 288 low income families have achieved economic self-sufficiency.

Community Strengthening
(Building and Empowerment)

KHRW began its first Kurdish community building project in September of 1996.  Since then KHRW has conducted a second Community Organizing project for assisting and strengthening all Kurdish refugee communities throughout the United States, including the Kurdish communities in Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, California and Oregon. 

Major Achievements

Thus far, KHRW has conducted seminars with Kurdish communities throughout the United States, conducted needs assessments and assisted them in preparing community empowerment and economic self-sufficiency plans. A model program is underway with the Kurdish community in San Diego, California. Under the guidance of KHRW staff they have met with the County Advisory council, developed liaison with two major community-based organizations. In each site an Advisory Committee is actively involved in the grass-roots community activities. Since September 1997 KHRW through San Diego County grant provides employment services for all refugees in East County San Diego. KHRW- San Diego recently opened a refugee Job Center with a San Diego County grant for providing services to Kurdish and other refugees. In November 1997 and 1998 KHRW sponsored two national conferences on economic development and empowering local Kurdish communities. It included a program on mentoring services for refugees.

Transitional Housing & Supportive Services

The Transitional Housing and Supportive Services started in August 1998.   This program is intended to assist homeless families with children move from homelessness to family self-sufficiency.  This program is a temporary families generally stay for 17 months or up to 24 months.  In this time extensive case management, English language training, life skills classes, and job development and upgrades.  These services have at their core the well-being of these families and their transition from homelessness to the achievement of family self-sufficiency.   Clients eligible for this program must fulfil the HUD definition of homelessness.   Adults in the transitional housing program are required to be engaged in at least 35 hours of employment related activities, such as training, English language training or working a minimum of 35 hours a week.

Major Achievements

Twenty families have so far benefited from this program.  Employment is the key requirement of this program. KHRW's Job Developer and case managers work closely with the families in drafting a family self-sufficiency plan that is realistic.   The family self-sufficiency plan is important to follow through out the families enrollment in the transitional housing program.

All 20 families are employed and working on job upgrades and possibly training opportunities.  The transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency is underway. 

Employment / Economic Development

Community-based Self-Sufficiency Economic Development

KHRW’s community economic development program provides assistance in obtaining employment, preparing for career occupations and launching small business enterprises including home-based businesses. KHRW assists clients in obtaining initial employment for immediate survival and in education and other steps necessary to prepare for long term employment as the self-sufficient level.

Orientation and Cross-Cultural
Training Workshops

This program focuses on providing Kurdish refugees and newcomers with life skills and information about life in America. A component of this program also provides cross-cultural training and introduction into the Kurdish culture intended for American audiences and mainstream organizations working with Kurdish refugees. KHRW has conducted orientation and cross-cultural training in 32 sites and states.  Material and a booklet entitled Welcome to America is made available to the workshop participants.

Major Achievements

Orientation and needs assessment meetings have been held with various groups of Kurdish clients regarding their career status, career goals and career development needs. This data is being assessed and used for the preparation of an overall community economic development program model. The Kurdish Self-Sufficiency JOBS Center is established for providing village-type support for job search, resume preparation, life skills training, business development etc. It includes reference materials, phone banks, computers, and other material supports as well as classes, individual counseling on job development and small business planning and operations. The Jobs program and self-sufficiency is in two locations, namely Fairfax, Virginia and San Diego, California.

Kurdistan Rehabilitation
and Reconstruction

From 1993 until  1996 KHRW was involved in humanitarian assistance and rehabilitation of the infrastructure in Kurdistan. These programs funded partially by the Office of Foreign Disasters Assistance (OFDA) targeted the destroyed villages in the Anfal campaign. The Anfal genocide campaign destroyed 5,000 villages and more than 180,000 men, women and children disappeared in collective graves.

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Picture from Kurdistan