Most African refugees come to this country illiterate even in their own native language. In order to join the community, get a job and build a life here, the first step for most refugees is to learn English. The Refugee Ministry offers English As A Learner's Language (ELL) classes to newly arriving refugees in order to assist them with basic reading and communication.

The school-age refugee children attend local public schools, which, while providing an excellent opportunity for the children, create challenges to the refugee families and the children attending as well. As our ELL program caters to the refugee adults, our ministry offers after school programs for the refugee children enrolled in local schools. Meeting Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00pm to 6:00pm and Wednesday from 4:00pm to 5:30pm, the program runs throughout the entire school year with different activities planned throughout the summer as well to help refugee children keep up with their education and stay out of trouble.

Consider the culture shock that you experience when you visit a new country - especially one without all of the different technological advancements that you are so accustomed to having in the United States. Now try to recreate the same experience for someone on the opposite side, someone without any knowledge of the current technology, even without any knowledge of a flushing toilet. The Life Skills Training that we provide to the newly arriving refugees is extremely important to their survival. It is our goal to train and equip families and individuals with the skills needed to survive in their new homeland, including skills like knowing how to use a vacuum, how to open a bank account, how to drive a car and everything in between. All of this training is done through the help of volunteers.

New arriving refugees have 90 days of assistance provided by the government, but after that period has expired, they are on their own. Our Refugee Assistance Program helps to fill in the gaps after this 90-day grace period is over, understanding that every individual has different circumstances and will adjust to their new home differently. This program helps families pay for unexpected expenses such as medical emergencies or the death of a family member. The program also helps the refugee families keep up with their paperwork to achieve permanent residency or citizenship in the United States. We additionally offer Immigration Support, helping refugees with the difficult process of immigration and citizenship.

Family relationships are undergoing strain and transformation while refugees resettle in the United States. Refugee parents have concerns or object to the range of freedom the youth enjoy and the cultural and physical practices of the family undergo a huge change moving to the new culture and environment.  African Leadership believes that the spiritual support from churches and their congregations is a great need for refugees to be able to handle difficulties. We are committed to serve churches and promote all programs in the refugee community that will help strengthen refugee marriage as God's institution. We are also committed to help refugees parents raise their children in a healthy Christian environment, and help the youth to strengthen their faith.

Thousands of Sudanese refugees in different refugee camps in Africa will head back home after the separation of north and south Sudan. These refugees do not have any education or skills, while New Sudan needs to be rebuilt. In partnership with Kamwenge Secondary School and Vocation Institute, our partner in South of Uganda (just on side of Nakivale refugee camp) we are planning to train 30 young Sudanese refugees boys and girls in sawing, masonry, carpentry, welding and agriculture. An extra curriculum in micro-enterprise and discipleship will be added. This project will give a chance to the young people to go and become missionaries and entrepreneurs in Sudan. This will equip them with skills to promote a better life to thousands Sudanese after-camp life.

We are always seeking volunteers to help us with each of these programs - individuals who can help teach basic conversational English, offer homework help to students, help teach basic life skills and more. Please see our volunteer page and contact us if you would like to get involved.