State: Iowa Country of Origin: Bosnia and Herzegovina Arrival in the U.S.: 1993 Zeljka Krvavica is the Refugee Congress Delegate from Iowa. She is refugee from Bosnia and Herzegovina who was resettled to the United States in 1993. She works as a Refugee Specialist with the Iowa Bureau of Refugee Services. In addition to her professional work with refugees, Krvavica […]
State: Montana City of Residence: Helena, Montana Country of origin: Liberia Arrival in the U.S.: 1994 Mr. Wilmot Collins is a refugee from Liberia who was forced to flee the Liberian civil war after the ceasefire collapsed and two of his brothers were killed by rebels and government soldiers. Mr. Collins arrived in the United States in 1994, and he […]
State: Hawaii City of Residence: Wailiku, Hawaii Country of origin: Brazil Arrival in the U.S.: 2013 Mr. Valdir Solera came to the United States from Brazil in 2013. He now lives in Wailiku, Hawaii where he works as a tourist guide and environmentalist. He volunteers every week to protect the endangered green Honu turtles at Ho’okipa Beach and educate tourists […]
State: New Hampshire City of Residence: Manchester, New Hampshire Country of origin: Bhutan Arrival in the U.S.: 2009 Mr. Tika Acharya and his family fled Bhutan in 1992, after seeking freedom from the oppressive regime in Bhutan. They lived as refugees in Nepal for 17 years before, he and his wife, parents, and grandmother were resettled to New Hampshire in […]
State: Illinois City of Residence: Evanston, Illinois Country of origin: Bhutan Arrival in the U.S.: 2008 Mr. Tek Darnal and his family fled Bhutan in 1992 to escape persecution, and were resettled to the United States in 2008. Now he owns his own home and business in Evanston, Illinois, where he resides with his wife and two sons. Mr. Darnal […]
State: Massachusetts City of Residence: Melrose, Massachusetts Country of origin: Ethiopia Arrival in the U.S.: 2009 Mr. Tegene Feyissa fled Ethiopia in 2009 and was granted asylum in the United States. He lives in Melrose, Massachusetts, where he was reunited with his two sons and wife. He now and works as a TV journalist and sign language TV producer and […]
State: Oregon City of Residence: Portland, Oregon Country of origin: Bhutan Arrival in the U.S.: 2008 Mr. Som Nath Subedi was one of around 100,000 victims of Bhutan’s “One Nation, One People” policy, which expelled his family from their homeland. He lived in a Nepalese refugee camp for almost two decades before being resettled to Portland, Oregon in 2008 under […]
State: Colorado City of Residence: Aurora, Colorado Country of origin: Eritrea Arrival in the U.S.: 2013 Mr. Shambel Zeru fled violence in Eritrea and was resettled to Aurora, Colorado in 2013. He is currently a high school student, and says that one day he would like to go back to Africa to improve the lives of people in refugee camps. […]
State: New Jersey City of Residence: Elizabeth, New Jersey Country of origin: Afghanistan Arrival in the U.S.: 2011 Ms. Shabnam Baidariwal was advised by the U.S. Department of State to leave Afghanistan in 2011 after the Taliban attacked branches of her organization and threatened her and her husband’s lives. They now live in Elizabeth, New Jersey where Ms. Baidariwal works […]
State: Kansas City of Residence: Wichita, Kansas Country of origin: Bosnia and Herzegovina Arrival in the U.S.: 1995 Ms. Selena Sujoldzic was born and raised in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Due to the genocide and ethnic cleansing, Ms. Sujoldzic and her family were resettled to the United States in 1995 with the help of human and refugee rights organizations. Since then, […]
State: Rhode Island City of Residence: Providence, Rhode Island Country of origin: Gambia Arrival in the U.S.: 2007 Mr. Omah Bah is a journalist from the Gambia who resettled in the United States as a refugee in 2007. Mr. Bah was arrested several times and tortured by the dictatorial regime of the Gambia as a result of his reporting, and […]
State: North Dakota City of Residence: Fargo, North Dakota Country of origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo Arrival in the U.S.: 2011 Kalisa Ndikumwimana is the Refugee Congress Delegate for North Dakota. He is a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who was resettled in Fargo, North Dakota, in 2011. He lives and works in Fargo as a […]
State: Wisconsin City of Residence: Hales Corners, Wisconsin Country of origin: Bosnia and Herzegovina Arrival in the U.S.: 1998 Ms. Natasa Torbica was resettled to Wisconsin with her husband and children in 1998 after being forced to flee Yugoslavia in the early 1990’s due to the ongoing conflict. She had to send her children to safety in Serbia first, and […]
Delegate – New Mexico City of Residence: Albuquerque, New Mexico Country of origin: Burundi Arrival in the U.S.: 2007 Martin Ndayisenga is a Burundian refugee who was resettled to New Mexico with his wife in 2007. He was just ten years old when he was separated from his parents and was forced to flee Burundi to neighboring Tanzania to escape […]
Northeast Regional Representative Delegate – Delaware Country of origin: Liberia Arrival in the US: 1992 Lourena Gboeah is the Refugee Congress Delegate for Delaware. She was resettled to the U.S. in 1992, when she was only four years old, after her family fled war in Liberia and the continuous harassment from government soldiers and rebels. Gboeah is committed to serving […]