It's hard to believe how far we've come and we haven't even been granted our 501c3 tax exemption. We are anticipating that will happen any day now and we will be able to help the many people still living in hiding and fear of capture by the Cameroonian Military. The list of people deported in October and November 2020 is painful to read but we have done what we could and helped at least a dozen relocate and provided a few micro-loans to people who could not leave the country for one reason or another. One man's wife was murdered while he was in ICE detention and so when he was deported he felt obligated to take care of his children and try to make a life no matter the odds. He has started a repair shop for cars and with the help of a grant, is making a good start at a successful business.
We were also able to help another man in Burkino Faso start a laundry business. He began by washing clothes in buckets and now has a commercial washing machine to grow his business.
Many of the others are working on learning the technology needed to obtain on-line employment. Everyone wants to find a way to be self supporting as soon as possible but the task is extremely difficult during the current conditions in Africa. There are so many refugees and certainly Covid has not helped the situation. Nevertheless, the spirit and courage of our first deported asylum seekers perseveres and we will continue to do everything we can to support their efforts to be free and self supporting.
Training for fork lift operator in Ghana
Washing machine in Ghana