Refugee Empowerment

“Refugees are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children, with the same hopes and ambitions as us—except that a twist of fate has bound their lives to a global refugee crisis on an unprecedented scale.” - Khaled Hosseini

Every minute, 24 people around the world are forced to flee their homes. That means 34,000 people a day leave everything behind in the hope of finding safety and a better tomorrow. Even when refugees enter a new country, they face countless challenges, economically, socially, and culturally. Such challenges include learning a new language, succeeding in a new education system, seeking employment, and dealing with financial challenges, among others.

Coding for Community has worked with refugees in the United States from Burma (Burmese Rohingya refugees) and Nepal (Nepali Bhutanese refugees) to empower these communities through education and technology. We lead instruction in basic computer use and digital communication to help both children and adults. At the same time, our team also works with these communities to develop digital advocacy tools, including helping develop website and mobile app (Android, iPhone) for the Burmese Rohingya Community of Georgia. Lastly, our mentors provide assistance outside of technology education; in the past, we have also assisted community members with the citizenship exam and legal process through classes.