Somali Community Link

Somalia, a region rich in history and heritage and previously referred to as Africa's Switzerland, is experiencing a tremendous refugee crisis. Today, Africa’s Switzerland faces a severe famine and refugee crisis that reflects the country’s history of hosting a civil war and pirates. Radical groups within the country and an ongoing drought make the food crisis even worse for Somalis. Approximately 300,000  children in the country suffer from malnutrition, making food (the essential ingredient of survival) the most common way to help Somalis stuck in the landlocked country.   As for helping Somali refugees who have successfully relocated themselves to neighboring countries or thousands of miles away as Somali refugees in Ohio, there are plenty of ways to help them. Give Them a Space in Your Home If you’ve got some extra space in your home, such as a room with a bathroom or a living space with a sharing bathroom, you might want to consider hosting a Somali refugee family in Ohio...

Leaving everything and your loved ones behind is a challenging task that many Somalis go through to protect their families. Most Somali refugees and immigrants make their way to the US in the hope of a better life for all. However, due to the limited and scarce resources, there are many additional barriers they have to overcome for years before they can progress. Some of these challenges include: Language Barriers Two official languages are spoken in Somalia, Somali and Arabic. English is not a commonly taught language there, becoming one of the greatest challenges Somalis face after migrating to the US. While the language barrier  might seem like a minor issue, the language barrier hinders the way of making new friends, pursuing education, finding a job, or even fulfilling basic tasks, such as grocery shopping or filling forms.   Discrimination The discrimination rate in the US has risen to 65%  across the nation. If, with some help, they do learn the language enough to ...

How many places have you visited where you have seen people of different ethnicities working together under the same roof? Chances are it was so rare that you can’t even remember.   However, businesses today are hiring people of all ethnicities and even refugees to give them a fair shot at life. Here’s how hiring refugees to become a part of your workforce can help your business in multiple ways:   Workforce Diversity According to research by McKinsey & Company , teams that have more cultural and ethnic diversity are 33% more likely to be profitable for organizations than the teams that are less diverse.   Your business can directly benefit from incorporating cultural and ethnic diversity. Taking inexperienced refugees on board can help them learn more about the new culture they’re integrating with, while you can benefit from their thinking, language, and skillset.   Access to Skilled and Qualified Candidates Most refugees are great at problem solving due to the ...

Asylum seekers in every country face tremendous challenges when trying to get recognition in the host country. However, with the help of legal aid service providers, some can navigate through the complex system's maze.     Legal advocacy is essential for refugees. Coming to a new country requires them to get familiar with the rules and regulations of the new government, while understanding how the system works.   There are many NGOs that offer legal advocacy  for refugees. These legal entities aim to help refugees in the following ways. Refugee Rights Awareness As a refugee, you can face many instances of discrimination, racism, and other issues that require you to know your country’s rights. These rights vary from citizens’ rights but are made to protect the refugees from being exploited or taken advantage of.   There are refugee rights  for every aspect, such as healthcare, employment, education, residence, and more.   Distinguishes What’s Right and ...