By Janis Mork

January 30, 2013 (El Cajon) Updated March 15, 2013- Last week, Troy McKinney, Fresh Fund coordinator from the International Rescue committee (IRC), participated in an exclusive interview with East County Magazine. He gave more details of the future farmers’ market that will be set up on the Prescott Promenade in downtown El Cajon each Thursday starting March 21.

Like the IRC’s farmer’s market started four years ago in City Heights, the El Cajon farmer’s market will help both local refugees and the broader community.

ECM previously profiled the amazing efforts of Project Refuge and its efforts to help new refugees who arrive alone in our region. But now the organization has fallen on hard times and was recently forced to shut down its housing for local refugees, including many torture victims. The nonprofit seeks angel donors to help revive its efforts.  Read the stories of survivors helped, as well as Project Refugee organizers, below.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

By Ariele Johannson

The following story is the journey of “Mr. Horeb Michael,” an East African refugee. His name is withheld for protection from reprisal:

February 25, 2013 (San Diego)--You must cross through 20 countries before you arrive in San Diego, to be detained once again. You have no plan to go to America. Your only goal is to escape. To do this you must leave your life: your family, livelihood, friends, and future.

January 9, 2013 (San Diego) –In response to the long-time needs and present demands of the Vietnamese community, the Little Saigon Foundation is opening a Vietnamese Community Center in order to create a space for social services and cultural interaction.  Early services include a Vietnamese Language School, Youth Leadership Development, Translation services, and physical health programs such as “Càng Khôn Thập Linh” (a combination of Tai-chi and yoga), as well as international ballroom dance. With spaces offered to local community groups to meet and hold events, the Center is the first Vietnamese Community Center in City Heights.  Up until now, the organization has been operating on mostly the support of volunteers, but is now looking to add permanent paid staff.  As such, the organizations will host the Little Saigon Fundraising and Award Dinner on Jan. 13 from 6 p.m. – 11 p.m. at the Lucky Star Restaurant, 3894 54th St., San Diego.

December 27, 2012 (San Diego)--Lawyers Club of San Diego presented grants totaling $16,000 to three local nonprofit organizations and awarded three law student scholarships at its annual holiday luncheon December 13, 2012.

Lawyers Club, through its Fund for Justice, awarded grants to Voices for Children in support of its Infant and Toddler program, to Casa Cornelia Law Center in support of its programs helping provide pro bono legal services to indigent immigrants in the San Diego community, and to the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program in support of its domestic violence clinic and the annual Women’s Resource Fair.

November 25, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)—Refugees living in El Cajon and City Heights are invited to free workshops at the New Roots Aqua Farm, 4035 Fairmount Avenue in San Diego.  Learn how to grow healthy organic vegetables in urban areas with no soil and minimal water!  Also see New Roots’  1,200 square foot aquaponics system that includes fish farming with tilapia that are sustainably raised and hormone free.

Workshops in December will be offered in several languages including English, Swahili, Spanish and Arabic.  See schedule below for details.

(Ethiopia, Somalia, Burundi, Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, Rwanda, Eritrea, Uganda, Kenya, Liberia)

October 31, 2012 (Sa Diego) -- Life in a conflict zone can be traumatizing, and moving to the U.S. doesn’t make it go away. In order to develop better services for the local East African community, we need your help.

If you are 18 years or older, please come at one of the times listed below and complete a questionnaire about trauma.  Each participant will be given $15.00.

By Ariele Johannson

October 28, 2012 (San Diego)--During the Somali Civil War, the number of refugees admitted to the United States soared starting in 1991. San Diego is now home to the second largest East African refugee community with an estimated population of 30,000. A real need arose to integrate the growing number of new immigrant refugees into the San Diego community. Ahmed Sahid, President and CEO of Somali Family Service of San Diego, states, “It’s very important to us that we work with other like-minded organizations to accomplish our goals.”

October 15, 2012 (San Diego)--African Restaurant Week, which starts on Friday, October 19th and ends on Sunday, October 28th is an event being hosted by a variety of African restaurants to showcase and promote African businesses and culture in San Diego.  Just like San Diego Restaurant Week, participating businesses from throughout the City of San Diego will create a special prix fixe menu featuring special appetizers, main courses and desserts.

September 20, 2012 (San Diego) -- Join SAME and The "Centro Cultural De La Raza" as we Co-Host this important subject on  September 29th, 2012 from 6 –9p.m. at Centro Cultural de la Raza, 2004 Park Blvd., San Diego, 92101.

Experienced attorneys will speak about issues impacting LGBT immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers, including the progress made in adjudicating claims by same-sex  bi-national couples, the impact of DOMA litigation or repeal of DOMA on LGBT immigrants and much more.

September 8, 2012 (San Diego) – Nile Sisters is hosting its Annual Brunch and Auction on September 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 7715 Draper Avenue in La Jolla.  A sumptuous catered buffet brunch will be served.

May 30, 2012 (San Diego) – “The clash between traditional South Sudanese values and western values threatens the survival of families already rocked by decades of war, poverty and injustice,” says Walter Davis. “This book provides powerful tools with which the South Sudanese people can experience an epiphany."

Davis is editor of South Sudanese Community Insights, authored by John Chuol Kuek, chairman of the Southern Sudanese Community Center in San Diego and a refugee camp survivor. View an interview with Kuek conducted by Davis as guest host of Consider the Possibilities:
 

 March 31, 2012 (Rancho San Diego) -- A pilot program for recent Iraqi immigrants that teaches English in the context of office work is being offered at Cuyamaca College through a partnership between the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District and San Diego County.