State: Kansas Country of Origin: Democratic Republic of Congo Gedeon Bahemuka Jino is the Refugee Congress Delegate for Kansas. He was born and grew up in a village called Mandro, located in Djugu Territory, Ituri Province in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Gedeon works with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Kansas. He is married to Francine Pachu […]
State: Missouri Country of Origin: Former Soviet Union Victoria Barmak is the Refugee Congress Delegate for Missouri. She came to the U.S. as a refugee from the Soviet Union in 1990. Her first memories in this country are a mix of stress and anxiety: a teenager, who had suddenly found herself in the role of her parents’ parent, she became […]
State: Vermont Arrival in the US: 2012 Umesh Acharya is the Refugee Congress Delegate for Vermont. Growing up in a refugee camp in Nepal, Umesh understood the feeling of being considered “less than” others. Soon after his arrival in the U.S. in 2012, Umesh started advocating for health equity and social justice. He worked for a local school district as […]
State: Oklahoma Country of Origin: Burma/Myanmar Sang Rem is the Refugee Congress Delegate for Oklahoma. She came to United States as resettled refugee from Burma/Myanmar when she was 15 years old. Sang has three brothers and two sisters. Her family came to the United States through the Malaysia UN office and did not speak any English when they arrived. She […]
State: Washington Country of Origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo Arrival in the U.S.: 2018 Tshishiku Henry is the Refugee Congress Delegate for Washington State. He was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and arrived in the United States in 2018 after fleeing conflicts in his home country. Tshishiku is passionate about helping and working with immigrants and refugees […]
Delegate – Minnesota Country of Origin: Somalia Arrival in the U.S.: 2000 Fartun Weli is the Refugee Congress Delegate for Minnesota. Weli is Executive Director and Founder of Isuroon, a nonprofit with a mission of helping Somali women build self-sufficiency and maintain healthy lives. Isuroon is committed to improving the health and upward mobility of Somali women in Minnesota, the […]
Delegate – Indiana Country of Origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo Arrival in the U.S.: 2013 Ally Ntumba is the Refugee Congress Delegate for Indiana. He was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and arrived in the United States in 2013 after fleeing conflicts and civil war. Ntumba is passionate about helping and working with immigrants and refugees in […]
Delegate – Illinois Country of Origin: Syria Arrival in the U.S.: 2011
Delegate – Illinois Country of Origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo Arrival in the U.S.: 2009
Delegate – Alabama Country of Origin: Burundi Arrival in the U.S.: 2017
At Large Representative – Board of Directors Delegate – Wyoming Country of Origin: Democratic Republic of the Congo Arrival in the U.S.: 2015 Valerie Bahige is the Refugee Congress Delegate for Wyoming.
Southeast Regional Representative – Board of Directors Delegate – Tennessee Country of Origin: Rwanda Arrival in the U.S.: 2009 Drocella Mugorewera is the Refugee Congress Delegate for Tennessee. Born in Rwanda, Mugorewera was forced to leave as a refugee and came to Tennessee in 2009. She is an enthusiastic and dynamic leader. In Africa, she served in different capacities, including being […]
Delegate – Rhode Island Country of Origin: Angola Arrival in the U.S.: 2018
Delegate – New Jersey City of Residence: Elizabeth, New Jersey Country of Origin: Afghanistan Arrival in the U.S.: 2014
Delegate – Maryland City of Residence: Silver Spring Country of Origin: Eritrea Arrival in the U.S.: 2018 Teklit Michael is the Refugee Congress Delegate for Maryland. After spending over a decade advocating for his rights as an asylum seeker in Israel, Michael now resides in Silver Spring, MD. During his 11 years in Tel Aviv, he served the Eritrean community […]