LANSING, Mich. — The Refugee Development Center in Lansing is looking for donations for 68 newly arrived families. Many of them are from Afghanistan.
With the crisis in Ukraine, we are now witnessing what refugees around the world are facing now more than ever.
“What we are seeing played out on the news right now really is the story of refugees across the world who have had to flee and escape persecution,” said Erika Brown-Binion, the executive director of the Refugee Development Center in Lansing.
Just over the last few months, about 300 Afghans have been resettled to Lansing.
“We have delivered to 118 families. We're so grateful to the community for the support that they've shown so far,” Brown-Binion said. “I mean, it's been incredible. The items that they've been able to get how quickly they're able been able to get them and how quickly we've been able to get them out to folks.” However, Brown-Binion said that 68 families still need support.
“We have items on our website ready to go. We just need some people to step up and help these families and get them the items that they need.”
Afghan refugee and Cultural Broker at the Refugee Development Center Yasin Amiry came with his wife and daughter to Lansing.
“Everything that a refugee receives is worth of something because refugees arrive to their destination, the city that they are resettling, with nothing. Everything is worth it for them,” Amiry said.
He said that adjusting to a new country isn’t easy.
“Refugees lives are safe, but not easy,” Amiry said. “First, families arrive to experience the cultural shock in their new communities, followed by a huge wave of depression from being out of their homeland and away from their beloved ones.”
Brown-Binion said what’s special about the Refugee Development Center’s program is that the refugees choose what they need themselves. She said they have individual meetings with each family to figure out what they need. These items are than posted on their website.
“Those items are, you know, a rice cooker or a sewing machine or a stroller. Lots of babies are around,” Brown-Binion said. "So, things like that really make your kitchen feel welcoming and let cook or use the sewing machine. People are making clothes for their kids right now and it gets put to immediate use.”
“Our job is to wrap our arms around them and help them feel welcome for the long term so that they can really thrive,” Brown-Binion said.
Amiry said how thankful he is that Lansing has been a welcoming community.
According to Brown-Binion, around 20,000 refugees have been resettled to Lansing over the last 20 years.
If you are interested in supporting Afghan refugees in Lansing, you can find more information on the Refugee Development Center’s donation website.
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