The following is excerpted from the Church News. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
A mother and her two eldest daughters in the Erie, Pennsylvania, area hoped to improve their English after coming to the United States as refugees from Afghanistan.
They received laptop computers from the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants and started taking English classes online from the safety and comfort of their own homes. And with increased language learning came increased self-sufficiency, independence and empowerment.
They represent the several hundred refugees and immigrants from several countries being helped by the committee’s Digital Literacy Program.
Funding from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helped with the program. Dylanna Grasinger, senior director of field offices for the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, shared some of the effect with the Church News.
“We’ve had stories where you’re impacting families with children who have been struggling. You’re impacting single mothers who may not have resources at the beginning of the resettlement period or have gone back to work and are struggling in other areas,” she said.
Without a computer or internet access, other immigrants and refugees felt socially isolated or cut off from family far away. Children couldn’t do remote schooling during lockdowns. Parents couldn’t find jobs.
But with digital access and language learning capabilities, more of them were able to work, pursue more educational opportunities and support their families.
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
