Refugee Empowerment

Our program provides safe housing and emergency shelter for refugees and asylum seekers, offering food, medical and mental health care, and case management to help families transition to permanent housing and employment.

We provide resettlement and social support services that help refugees adapt, access healthcare, legal aid, and transportation, and build stability through case management, cultural orientation, and community engagement programs.

We offer English classes, tutoring, citizenship preparation, and vocational training in trades and technology, helping refugees gain skills, find employment, and achieve long-term independence and community contribution.

We help refugees rebuild independence through livelihood programs, job placements, and entrepreneurship support, partnering with employers to provide skills training, certification, and sustainable income opportunities.

We empower women through childcare, vocational training, health education, and leadership programs, while family initiatives like mentorship, counseling, and parenting workshops promote stability and emotional well-being.

We preserve cultural identity and promote inclusion through community centers, social and educational programs, and cultural events, helping refugee families build supportive networks, connect, and thrive within society.

Bangladesh 

Deep in the forests of Naikhanchori, three adult sisters live in a small shelter with their elder sister's family. Orphaned and separated from most siblings, including a brother taken by the authorities and still missing, the sisters carry a heavy burden of loss and invisibility. Living in such close quarters, they feel they have no presence of their own. Through our Emergency Relief Health Camp, we identified their story and their need for support.

India

In the Rohingya refugee camp of Balapur, 11-year-old Mariyam and her family of eight share a small tent after fleeing religious persecution in Myanmar. Her father earns meager wages through scrap work, while her mother peels garlic for daily pay — barely enough to survive, let alone shield their children from winter's cold. Through our Winter Relief Project, we provided a warm jacket and blankets. "Alhamdulillah, today my dream has come true," Mariyam said, finally warm.

USA

After fleeing persecution in Burma, Minara spent 32 years navigating hardship in Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh, with no education, resources, or support for her family. Resettled to Chicago in 2024, she arrived unsure where to turn until she found the Rohingya Cultural Center. Minara secured vital documents, enrolled her children in school, and helped her husband find work. Now attending English classes and joining their Women's Group, she has finally found opportunity, freedom, and a future for her family.