The problem of the rising number of refugees in Western countries is a real thing. In the last few years, the world began to take notice of the problem that has been growing steadily. The advent of Ukrainian refugees in the US makes it even more prominent. Millions of people have to flee their own country amidst war, leaving behind their homes, jobs, valuable assets, and possessions acquired through years of hard work, and sometimes even family and friends.
The Hassles of Migrants
Wars have given rise to millions of refugees, sometimes even surpassing the total population of a nation. With little to no hope of returning home, refugees, or migrants try to adjust to a new country, sometimes opposite to their cultures, weather conditions, food habits, and the major obstruction being the language.
Accelerating Refugee Influx
The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has forced well-settled Ukrainians to leave their homes and become refugees in neighboring European nations and the US, Canada, and other western nations. The lack of a unified channel to handle the rising refugee influx is accelerating the problem. Though migrants are welcomed but shunned often and their struggle begins when they try to adapt to the new culture and language.
Everyone can Contribute
The hopelessness, fear, pain, and insecurity of refugees cannot be felt by those lucky ones who can’t even imagine what life can be. The good news is that the Ukrainian refugees in the US and migrants from other nations are welcomed with open arms. Apart from several government-aided organizations, and NGOs, common people volunteer to help the refugees settle in the new country and feel at home. Everyone can do their part by contributing in the smallest possible ways.
Hosting Refugees and Migrants at Homes
The world has witnessed refugee crises almost every decade, among which the Syrian, Iraqi, and Afghanistan refugees have been the most predominant ones. In recent years, the Ukrainian refugee crisis has stunned the world. the US volunteer hosts have come up with creative and useful ways to help the Ukrainian refugees. Several Airbnb volunteer hosts open their homes to refugees and displaced people without charging a single penny.
When local people, religious groups, and community centers broaden their minds and take the initiative to help the insecure, and displaced refugees, it becomes easier for them to get adjusted and settled faster. Several European countries like Germany, Iceland, etc., have built a reputation for welcoming refugees from war-torn and distressed countries. This is how common men without being a part of any organization can help the refugees lead a better and safer life. Adopting refugee orphans is also a great initiative in the USA.
Volunteering One’s Specific set of Skills
Helping displaced people and migrants doesn’t have to be always with capital. There are several educated and once elite individuals who become refugees due to wars and prosecutions by fleeing to other nations. The people from the host country can volunteer to help the refugees with their specific skills and talents.
The majority of Ukrainian refugees in the US face language problems. Ukrainians, especially the elderly people are not fluent in the English language, which is the official language in the USA. A US resident can take the initiative to teach the asylum seekers and refugees in the USA while the migrants wait for their refugee status to be determined. Refugees from Islamic-dominant nations are often faced with racism, which can be handled easily with local volunteers stepping in and managing the situation.
Several migrants and refugees are highly educated engineers, programmers, scientists, researchers, and academicians. Volunteers can tie up with employment matchmaking programs n the country and create excellent solutions for such talented displaced individuals with job opportunities in a new nation and help build their life from scratch. Such volunteering initiatives are mainly practiced by young college and university students, and creating an online network of refugees seems to be beneficial.
Helping Migrants Incorporate a new Culture
The portrayal of isolation that refugees experience relocating to a new country, overcoming the trauma, and restarting in movies is nothing compared to the reality. A small gesture of friendship and help is a great deal for the refugees. Henceforth, it is encouraged to help migrants and refugees in every possible way, no matter how small the contribution is.
One can either work with organizations or community groups and help refugees to integrate into the new culture and environment. Some private individuals and groups can apply to sponsor refugees to come to the country and help them become one with the culture. Some options allow people to welcome refugees by inviting them to dinner at home and hosting them as their own.
Encouraging Colleges and Universities for Refugee Scholarships
When a war starts in a country, it doesn’t discriminate between the rich and poor, the educated and uneducated. People from all socio and economic backgrounds get displaced and become refugees in other countries. If one wants to help a young scholar refugee, he/she can encourage colleges and universities in association with volunteering organizations and groups to offer refugee scholarships.
Popular and well-reputed colleges in the country have in the past offered similar scholarships for talented and deserving candidates with refugee and asylum seeker statuses. The young, college-going Ukrainian refugees in the US can be motivated and encouraged to continue their studies surpassing their trauma with such initiatives. This can be successful only when local colleges and universities also support refugees and migrants to study and pursue higher education.
Offering Employment Opportunities
Offering employment opportunities to employees is an excellent way of helping them to integrate into the new culture. In certain nations, refugees are seen as guests and are not allowed to work. In countries where the migrants can officially work with good pay, they must be given the opportunities, or else they can never rebuild their lives. Starbucks is one such reputed brand in the US that pledges to hire refugees every year. Such initiatives help migrants and asylum seekers to be financially independent and restart life.
Conclusion
The life of Ukrainian refugees in the US is not easy. The refugees and migrants have to encounter new challenges every day. But with refugee support groups and organizations, individuals, volunteers, etc., taking the initiative to support and help makes their lives a bit easier. One doesn’t lose anything to be kind, respectful, and emphatic toward people who had to flee their own country.