Austin nonprofit helps connect refugees with jobs, training

AUSTIN, Texas - It was all smiles and laughs on Sunday at Global Impact Initiative’s holiday party. But many of the families in attendance were carrying the weight of past - and current - challenges.

"There isn’t even an adjective to describe it when you have left everything you own, everything you know, your whole family behind, and you’ve come here, and you’re still grieving for what you’ve left behind," said Anjum Malik, founder and executive director of GII.

The nonprofit organization serves refugees from all over the world, many coming from Afghanistan and Ukraine. They offer a variety of free services, everything from educational classes to mentoring.

"It’s not going to be an easy process for them to assimilate," said Malik, who said many Afghan women aren’t even literate in their own language. "Here they are just trying to navigate a country and system that is so foreign to them."

On Sunday, thanks to partnerships with Dell Technologies and Combined Arms, they were able to provide Christmas gifts to 22 families - totaling 171 children.

They also got a little help from two teenagers. Separately, Yara Hussain and Stewart Haas, both students at Headwaters School, raised money to purchase and donate four sewing machines. Those were also handed out to families on Sunday.

"A lot of times in the Afghan culture it is customary the woman are seamstresses," said Haas.

GII also provided fabric and patterns to some of the refugees on Sunday. They also will help them get connected with local businesses. "The idea is not to just get by, the idea is to help them gain entrepreneurial skills," said Malik.

For Haas and Hussain, their passion goes beyond a one-time gift. They want to raise awareness of the challenges refugees face and help destigmatize the idea of refugees overall.

"Staying intact with your roots, your identity and your culture is super important, but at the same time, merging with the U.S. educational system," said Hussain. "Catching up both academically and socially is super difficult, especially when the language is completely different...that cultural shock is very important to keep in mind."

Both students recently presented in front of their whole school - sharing the historical context of Afghanistan and the recent Taliban takeover to their peers.

"When they come here, the parents’ role is to further their kids’ dreams in this Western culture but also make sure they remember who they are and where they came from," said Haas. "When supporting that, I think that is when this country is a better country, because it is more diverse, it recognizes those ideals and it can integrate those ideals into what it is as a nation."

Sam and his family have faced these challenges firsthand. He and his wife and son arrived in Texas on Aug. 11, 2021. Just days later, the Kabul Airport ended commercial flights.

"Everything was new for me - new culture, new rules, driving, everything was hard for us," said Sam. "Now I am safe here, I can go to college, my wife and son they are able to go to school and go to college."

He is thankful to be in America and said knowing English has been extremely helpful with the transition - a luxury that many refugees do not have. Sam served as a translator for the U.S. Army from 2009 to 2019.

Malik hopes that with the help of volunteers and more donations, they can help more people like Sam and his family.

"Let’s join hands and see what we can do," she said. "America is a melting pot."

To donate to Global Impact Initiative, click here.

To learn about volunteering opportunities, click here.