Fartun Weli

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 […]

Fatima Dirie

State: Utah City of Residence: Salt Lake City Country of origin: Somalia Arrival in the US: 1997 Fatima Dirie is the Refugee Community Liasion for the Salt Lake City Mayor’s office. Fatima was born in Somalia, and lived in Kenya for several years before coming to the United States. She moved to Utah with her family in 1997 and has […]

Mukhtar Ahmed

State: Kentucky City of Residence: Louisville, Kentucky Country of origin: Somalia Arrival in the U.S.: 2009 Mr. Mukhtar Ahmed is a Somali refugee who was reunited with his family in Louisville, Kentucky in 2009. After being displaced many times and becoming separated from his family, Mr. Ahmed fled to Kenya with friends, where he spent four years without knowing where […]

Fatuma Elmi

State: Minnesota City of Residence: Columbia Heights, Minnesota Country of origin: Somalia Arrival in the U.S.: 1991 Ms. Fatuma Elmi fled the civil war in Somalia and came to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1991, where she was granted Temporary Protection Status. Immediately after arriving, Ms. Elmi began volunteering with Lutheran Social Services to help new refugees adjust to life in the […]