Paul Mwingwa and his family was resettled in Missoula by the IRC in 2018. Although he didn't initially set out to be a voice for refugees, he feels he has been called to serve and currently advocates for refugees and immigrants as the Montana Delegate for the Refugee Congress. Paul was recently honored with the Excellence Award from Refugee Congress, and we sat down with him to learn more!

Aliyah came to the US with her two children in 2016 and Maria arrived in December 2018 with her husband and eight children. Both came to the U.S. looking for a better future for their families. They are a part of the Women’s Employability Program (WEP) at the IRC Baltimore, which is program that supports women in overcoming obstacles to working in the U.S. The women in the WEP program are a network for each other.

In 2024, the spirit of giving and community support shone brightly through the Light One Candle initiative by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Salt Lake City. Light One Candle is an annual gift drive where community sponsors commit to gathering much-needed supplies and holiday wish list items recently arrived refugee families and individuals. These efforts support refugees to gain control of their future and become an integral part of our community as they focus on rebuilding their lives in our community.