Our work with Burmese refugees mentioned in East Bay Express feature
Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 7:30PM 
Translator Nwe Oo. photo from East Bay Express by Momo ChangeMomo Chang has written a wonderful article following the plight of Burmese refugees who have been arriving in greater numbers since April last year. I don't think many people are aware of the atrocities that are taking place in Burma (Myanmar) or of the fact that an entire generation have grown up in the refugee camps since they were established in 1984. Entire villages have been burned to the ground, their residents conscripted to forced labor- essentially slavery- by the army of their own country. Murder and torture and ethnic persecution. Then a dangerous escape to a refugee camp in Nepal or Thailand, where the government is a hesitant and sometimes hostile host. There have been reports that the Thai army has towed boats of unauthorized Burmese refugees out to the middle of the ocean and left to fend for themselves. Both Burmese and Bhutanese refugees in the camps are prohibited from finding employment outside of the camp.
When they arrive in the United States, they have little to no job experience, understanding of the culture or expectaions of work, and are already indebted to the US government for the cost of their passage. The aid they receive is meager, and hardly enough to get any kind of start that will help them onto the road to self-sufficiency. While many study English in the camps, few have functional language skills when they arrive, which makes their job search nearly impossible without assistance.
Lao Family has recently hired a number of Burmese staff members to help with employment and social adjustment for both Burmese and Bhutanese refugees. We work with The Adult School to provide ESL training on site, we provide them with workshops that help them better understand how to find, secure, and maintain employment and what the expectations and rights will be. They work with an employment counselor to develop a resume and find potential employers. We have social adjustment counselors to make sure they have someone to help them with the day-to-day struggle of getting along in a place where no one speaks your language. We translate their mail for them, make sure they know when they have to report for their benefits, and that they are on a path towards building their assets so they can become self-sufficient.
All this is incredibly difficult and time-consuming work. As the article mentioned, this group of refugees has got so many things strikes against them. We will continue to work diligently to try to get them the things they need to provide for themselves and their families, and to carve out a life here in our community.
I have been thinking about these things quite a bit in the past few weeks as we apply for increased funding to help this population. I want to ask you to consider how you could help. Could you volunteer as an English tutor, or provide employment opportunities, or housing? Or perhaps a simple donation to help us meet the climing costs of providing these services when the demand is rising? Please be in touch: mfuller@lfcd.org
Best wishes for you and yours,
Mary Fuller