Announcement
Photo Caption: Tutu with his Citizenship Certificate in the Silver Spring office. Photo: IRC
Tutu smiled with laugh lines that crinkled at his eyes as he held up his certificate for a photo. It had only been two weeks since he became a citizen of the United States. The U.S. citizenship test requires competency in English as well as detailed knowledge of U.S. history. Just five and a half years ago, he arrived to the U.S. without knowing any English. Hence, all IRC staff including casework and employment team had to use either in person or phone interpreters to serve him. The cost of providing these interpretation services to Tutu (and other refugees residing in Montgomery County) were provided by Montgomery County’s Department of Human Services’ Office of Community Affairs-Community Action Agency!
Tutu fled violence during the conflict in Darfur after losing his entire family, with the exception of his four-year old sister. Unfortunately, early in the chaos, they were separated.
After coming to the U.S., he quickly found that there were many challenges. His first week at the International Rescue Committee, Tutu was determined to learn English and secure a job. Adjusting and quickly adapting was something that he had experience with after nearly a decade of travelling to find refuge in five countries. The IRC in Silver Spring partners with Montgomery College for English classes for refugees, which Tutu continues to take several days a week. With the assistance of the Employment Services Team at the IRC, he was employed by a local restaurant starting as a dishwasher. Despite the language barrier, he was quickly moved to the kitchen, and is now a chef at the very same restaurant.
Even though Tutu has obtained citizenship, can communicate well, and has a stable job, he says that his time with the IRC is far from over. “I want to help the people who have helped me out…I got my other family. Everyone [at the IRC] works hard to help you. I will never forget this house. He also expressed his sincere thanks to Montgomery County’s Department of Human Services for funding the interpretation services that helped him start his journey toward becoming an American citizen.
Original Article by: Mika Hyer