HOUSTON: An unanticipated need for educational support for refugee youth has developed at the Los Arcos apartments in Southwest Houston. Each day, an increasing number of refugee children approach Sewa International’s field office asking for help with their homework. Refugees face a host of vulnerabilities when adjusting to their new lives in the United States. They face educational, economic, and linguistic barriers. Refugee youth, in particular, are at risk for educational gaps that later result in limited employment opportunities and reduced quality of life. To address these shortages, it is important to recognize the unique needs of refugees and provide resources to address them. With the support of its staff, volunteers, and community members, Sewa International is working to develop an afterschool tutoring program for refugee youth at the Los Arcos apartments.
Sewa International’s Refugee Empowerment program provides long term empowerment services to refugees and immigrants in Houston, including educational support, mentorship, and various health services throughout the year. Sewa International has a field office at the Los Arcos Apartments in Southwest Houston, where several of these services are provided. Sewa International first began working with Bhutanese refugees in 2008, when they first started arriving in the United States. For several years, Sewa International has worked with Bhutanese refugees to address their needs as they work to adjust to drastic changes that life in the United States entails.
Sewa International is a non-profit organization that works to provide various long-term services to families of diverse backgrounds, including family services workshops, yoga classes, and empowerment programs for refugees and immigrants. Our mission is to serve humanity in distress, aid local communities, and promote volunteerism.