Global Neighborhood does not seek merely to help refugees, but to empower them. There is a great difference between the two, but that difference is often overlooked. The famous proverb says, “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” This is quite true, and in our context could read, “Give a refugee a ride to work and she works for a day. Help a refugee get her driver’s license and she drives herself every day and feels much better about herself.” The goal of Global Neighborhood is to empower refugees to help themselves and others. We struggle against the subtle attitude of colonialism that is so pervasive in our society that encourages handouts as a means of asserting superiority over someone. Though helping refugees by empowering them is often more difficult and time consuming, the end results are people who are leaders rather than dependants. Global Neighborhood’s development programs include:

English Instruction – Not knowing the English language is a difficulty that pervades every area of most refugees’ lives. Not speaking English makes everything from riding the bus, to buying groceries, to getting a job incredibly difficult. It opens the door for discrimination and exploitation as well as necessitating a dependence on others. Most refugees are enrolled in ESL classes through the Institute for Extended Learning upon their arrival, classes which provide a great foundation for refugees in their quest to learn English. However, a classroom format can only provide so much, and many refugees struggle to implement their schoolwork in their day-to-day lives. To fill this gap, Global Neighborhood provides one-on-one English tutoring to refugees. This happens both through our Friday afternoon ESL class and volunteers’ visits to refugees at their homes. See event calendar

   Our individualized format allows refugees to practice their English in a safe environment while learning to apply their knowledge to the situations in which they need it most.

Health and Nutrition Classes – Even Americans who understand our society have a hard time eating healthy and staying fit. Imaginehow difficult these things are for people from different countries, cultures, and languages! The diversity of food options in Spokane is nearly limitless, yet many of those options are very unhealthy. To help educate refugees about healthy living in Spokane, Global Neighborhood periodically puts on Health and Nutrition classes, with topics ranging from cooking, to vitamins, to exercise. Partnering with local dietitians, nurses, and doctors, we are able to help refugees learn how to live healthy lives here in Spokane.

In Development: We are currently working on developing full programs devoted to Employment and Driver’s License training, which will greatly help in the empowerment of refugees. We currently provide assistance in both of these areas through our network of volunteers, but hope to further organize and expand them in the near future.

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