Campus Y

The Bhutanese (Refugee) Empowerment Project (BEP) is an effort by to help resettle the recently arrived Bhutanese refugees to the United States. In 1880's, many people migrated from Nepal to Bhutan. Their descendants, numbering hundreds of thousands, were suddenly asked to leave Bhutan in 1980s because of several political reasons. The UN facilitated refugee camps for them in Nepal where they lived for 17 years, and now the US has accepted 60,000 of them. They will join us in the next 2-3 years, and about 80 of them have already arrived in the triangle. All of them have a green card, and will become American citizens in the next 5 years. These refugees are given only a few months of support from the government and the resettlement agencies. After that, they are required to become self-sufficient.  The most pressing needs are for financial assistance, employment, education and basic material needs. They also require support to help them make the transition to this new land.

We plan to help them resettle here, through

1, Help with education
2. Raising funds (essentially to help find them jobs),
3. Visits to malls, libraries, etc to help them get around and be confident Americans.

To begin with, our main role will be tutoring, and will expand gradually. The task is challenging, yet enjoyable, and very much doable by us. Its about a people suddenly made refugees. And we can help. We can be an agent of positive change in the lives of those who probably need it the most. We are working together with our partner organization in the community called Sewa USA.

Website: http://www.sewausa.org/bhutanese-refugee-empowerment-project