IRC volunteer Hanat Balimuttajjo has served the IRC in Turlock/Modesto as a volunteer since September 2018. A native of Uganda who grew up in England, Hanat taught English in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia before coming to the United States in December 2017.

“When I came here, I was on my own and I had to start from scratch.” That’s how Feven, a refugee from Ethiopia, felt when she arrived in the United States after fleeing persecution in her country. Alone in an unfamiliar place, Feven would say to herself, “Give yourself time,” a reminder that she had the power to choose how she will live her life.

Fatima arrived to the United States with her two children from Togo soon after her husband had to flee and seek asylum in 2016. Her family resettled as refugees, working hard to rebuild their lives in the Beehive State. Fatima has been driven by the desire to ensure her family’s success in their new home. 

The results of the U.S. presidential election are in with Donald Trump as the next President of the United States. The International Rescue Committee calls on the Trump administration to continue America’s traditions of humanitarian leadership and care for the most vulnerable. We remain committed to the safety, dignity, and well-being of our clients and staff and to upholding core principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence.

Ethiopian refugee Tefere Gebre was just 15 years old when he arrived in the United States—starting over in a new world alone, without any family by his side. Over 30 years later, he is executive vice president of the AFL-CIO, the largest labor union in the world.