Afghan Refugees Arrive in West Michigan
Afghan arrivals have begun resettling in West Michigan, and the Refugee Education Center is working closely with our partners to ensure we can do our part to support these resilient families and individuals.
The Refugee Journey for Afghans
As was highly publicized by news agencies across the globe, individuals and families fled their homes to the Kabul airport to seek evacuation flights out of the country. Many individuals worked for the US government or as military contractors, though not everyone. Some families and individuals fled for fear of retribution by the new Taliban government. While hundreds of thousands sought to evacuate - and are still fleeing - only 60,000 were initially approved for resettlement in the United States. However, there are indications that more people may be cleared to evacuate through the remainder of the year and into early 2022.
For those flying out of Afghanistan, the next stop was at one of a few US military bases in Europe or the Middle East. At this stop, evacuees registered with the US State Department, underwent background checks, and received security clearances.
The next stop involved transferring to one of five US military bases located within the United States. Here, individuals underwent health screenings, received medical attention, and were administered vaccines for communicable diseases, including COVID-19.
Following this step, Afghan refugees reengaged with the US State Department and affiliate government agencies to begin the resettlement process. There were some options in choosing where to be resettled, but those without familial or other ties in certain areas agreed to be placed by the government.
The government contracts with refugee resettlement agencies across the country, which welcome individuals and supply housing, employment, and social services support. The State of Michigan's Office of Global Michigan, which manages refugee resettlement across the state, worked with resettlement agencies based in Michigan and determined that the state and the agencies had the capacity to support resettling 1,300 individuals.
West Michigan has two resettlement agencies that provide support: Bethany Christian Services and Samaritas. Their capacity was set to serve 360 individuals. These agencies are looking for and working with neighborhoods and communities across West Michigan for the new Afghan arrivals, including areas in Kent, Ottawa, Kalamazoo, and Muskegon counties.
Once families with school-aged children are resettled, Bethany Christian Services and Samaritas refer them to the Refugee Education Center so that we may help with school enrollment and provide educational support services.
Consider a Gift to Help New Afghan Arrivals
If you are interested in supporting the Refugee Education Center's efforts, please visit our website to learn how to get involved or consider making a donation today!
Refugee Training and Professional Development
In addition to the individual support services the Refugee Education Center provides families and children, we are also the point organization for school districts across the region that need help enrolling and serving Afghan children.
We are also working hard to help our local schools and districts prepare to serve this new student population. In partnership with the Kent Intermediate School District, the center is hosting professional development training for teachers and school administrators across the region. Training sessions cover topics such as the refugee resettlement process, best practices for serving refugee children, and specific cultural norms of Afghan children.
If you or someone you know would like to organize a training session, click the button below to learn more and contact the Refugee Education Center’s community training specialist.