“I know how to be a refugee. Now I want to help people”: Vlada’s Journey from War-Torn Ukraine to New Hampshire
“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
“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
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
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
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
“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
On Sunday, August 15, 2021, the Taliban surrounded Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, and retook control of the battered n…
Becoming a New American
The resettlement process doesn’t end once our clients safely relocate to their new communities. This is often just th…
Three generations now thriving in Nashua: Kanyere and Frediana
Kanyere and her mother, Frediana, fled the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2004 and lived in the Kyaka II refugee…
Seeing Success in the Crisis: How IINE Clients Are a Source of Inspiration
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
“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
by Mariah Dennis, Volunteer and Contributing Writer Many people live in hope of winning a lottery, but Boston ESOL st…