Iraq. Pakistan. Sri Lanka. Sudan.

Aug. 19 was World Humanitarian Day, drawing attention to millions of people living in conflict-ridden regions, the 13.5 million people classified as refugees according to the 2009 World Refugee Survey, and the courageous international efforts to provide relief.

Watching the news from the comfort of our dorms and apartments, we may think that war, persecution and displacement are distant issues from our lives here in America. But we should think again.

About 161,200 refugees are living right here in the United States.

According to State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, a refugee is someone who “has been forced from his or her home and crossed an international border for safety.” Refugees leave their homes for fear of religious, racial or political persecution in their native countries and relocate to the unknown. And it’s our job to help them rebuild.

What many people aren’t aware of is that a large number of refugee families live in the Valley. The Arizona Refugee Resettlement Program, working with over a dozen local charities, helps refugees establish homes in our state, providing funding for housing, medical and educational services to help refugees begin again.

In the resettlement process, funding alone is not enough to ease families through the craziness. Refugee families, dealing with culture shock and the burden of learning a new language, may understandably have trouble navigating our bureaucracy, our school systems, our stores and our banks. That’s where ASU students kick in.

Last year, I had the privilege of volunteering for Community Outreach and Advocacy for Refugees. COAR is a local non-profit that was founded in 2002 by an ASU student, herself a former refugee, in an effort to help families in the tough process of resettlement.

As “volunteer anchors,” my partner and I were paired with a family whom we visited throughout the year. We were able to help them with job searches, learning English and surfing the net. But I realized that the most powerful thing used the least amount of effort: the chatting, eating, and playing games — the just plain hanging out and having fun.

We were able to be supportive and keep the parents and kids company while they managed a difficult transition.

The work that COAR and other organizations do for refugees is crucial.

When people from around the world are forced to leave their families,
it’s up to us to become their family. So I urge us all to get involved and volunteer to share the sense of support and community that everyone should enjoy. In a world so badly damaged by conflict, let’s do whatever we can to help refugees in our community begin new lives.

Reach Hannah at hannah.wasserman@asu.edu.