Refugee Resettlement Wellness is one of FII’s new initiatives, strongly aligned with our mission of assisting communities in need and at risk.  All over the world, refugees are arriving,  forced to leave their home countries due to war, disaster, disease, or political unrest.  They come with a wide range of differences, such as language, culture, level of education, family relationships, and their physical and emotional journey.  But what they all share in common are their feelings of being “strangers in a strange land”, and  emotional trauma. 

In our Refugee Resettlement Wellness programs, we work to help refugees find and learn tools to address cultural acclimation and emotional wellness, while ensuring that they retain their traditional core values in this new environment.  Through mutual support, practical teachings, and listening-centered focusing approaches, we provide safe spaces for them to thrive.

One such program is the Afghan Women’s Empowerment tea, a community wellness gathering for Afghan refugee women, in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts and Catholic Charities. This program in Western Massachusetts supports the women as they and their families adapt to life in the United States and find opportunities to share and incorporate their culture and values within their new community.