Imagine being forced to flee your country due to fear of being tormented or even killed for who you are and what you believe. You must leave the place you call home, the family and friends that you love, your job and familiar surroundings. This is the story for the nearly 400 refugees who are resettled by Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas each year.
WHO IS A REFUGEE?
A refugee is someone who has been forced to flee his or her country due to persecution, war or violence. A refugee has a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. Most likely, they cannot return home or are afraid to do so. War and ethnic, tribal and religious violence are the leading causes of refugees fleeing their countries.
WHERE DO REFUGEES WE SERVE COME FROM?
Catholic Charities is the largest resettlement site throughout Kansas. It is a “U.S. tie site,” meaning that refugees are united with family members or friends who are already settled in the area and can provide assistance. The majority of refugees that we serve flee from Burma, located in Southeast Asia. Ethnic groups represented include Chin, Karen and the Karenni. Other refugees travel from Bhutan, Iraq, Somalia, Congo, Eritrea and Iran.