CATEGORY
Client Stories
“I know how to be a refugee. Now I want to help people”: Vlada’s Journey from War-Torn Ukraine to New Hampshire
September 24, 2024
“In One Moment” In 2022, in her native country of Ukraine, Vlada Khalizieva had started her “dream job,” …
“Like a Dream Come True”: Farishta’s Journey from Afghan Refugee to U.S. Citizen
September 16, 2024
“It is like a dream come true. It is the biggest day of my life. After all the problems and long journey, finally I a…
“Always believe!”: Rohingya Refugee Finds Purpose in Helping Fellow Newcomers to Lowell
July 10, 2024
For centuries, Rohingya Muslims have lived in the country currently known as Myanmar, where they are an ethnic and re…
“I Never Felt Alone”: Maydelyn, a Refugee and Single Mom from Guatemala, Finds Community and a New Start in Massachusetts
June 26, 2024
Arriving full of hope After making an impossible choice and a difficult journey, Maydelyn, a former schoolteacher, re…
Nazia’s Story: An Afghan Refugee’s Relentless Commitment to Education and Hope
May 16, 2024
The hardest and most important job Growing up in Afghanistan, Nazia developed a true passion for teaching at a young …
Suitcase Stories®: Mapendo Reflects on Her Family’s Journey From the Democratic Republic of Congo and Starting Over
July 24, 2023
“This is when we knew we had to start life all over.” Mapendo Mutingamo, a refugee youth client at IINE, …
A year after the fall of Kabul – Zahra’s story
August 30, 2022
On Sunday, August 15, 2021, the Taliban surrounded Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, and retook control of the battered n…
Becoming a New American
July 4, 2022
The resettlement process doesn’t end once our clients safely relocate to their new communities. This is often just th…
Seeing Success in the Crisis: How IINE Clients Are a Source of Inspiration
May 7, 2020
By Emma Tobin Seven weeks ago, the IINE community in Lowell faced an enormous challenge: the families we serve were d…
The Third Narrative About Immigrants: Why We Need Them as Much as They Need Us
September 16, 2019
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming sho…
Having Won a Visa Lottery, This ESOL Student Strives to Succeed
September 5, 2019
by Mariah Dennis, Volunteer and Contributing Writer Many people live in hope of winning a lottery, but Boston ESOL st…
IINE’s Legal Services Bring Newcomers to the Next Step in Their Immigration Journey
May 30, 2019
For many people who need help with their immigration paperwork and applications, attorney fees are often the most exp…