Church World Service

Before Hurricane Dorian, Dr. Gregory Swann’s life as a police and public safety psychologist on Grand Bahama Island revolved around collaboration with government agencies, including the Royal Bahamas Police Force. However, the emergencies caused by Hurricane Dorian led him on a transformative journey, expanding his role and perspective. The Bahamas Psychological Association’s (BPA) Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) project ... Read More

Scroll through images above to see photos of Tonda’s recent visit to Kakuma Kakuma, in Swahili, means “nowhere.” But for over 250,000 refugees, this place is not just a spot on the map of Kenya; it is a sanctuary, it’s a temporary home. My journey to Kakuma Refugee Camp unfolded stories that were as heart-wrenching as they were inspiring. Today, ... Read More

In the heart of McPherson, Kansas, a community of just over 14,000 residents, a dedicated group of individuals has come together with a singular mission: to sponsor and support Ukrainian families seeking refuge and opportunity in their town. Nancy Magnall and Tina Burkholder, two remarkable members of the McPherson Welcomers, spoke to Church World Service about their sponsorship experiences through ... Read More

Returning to the comforts of hot morning coffee and lunch breaks feels wonderful after thirty days of Ramadan, where those who fasted abstained from daily pleasures like breakfast, lunch, coffee, water and snacks from sunrise to sunset. Today is the day of celebration of Eid Al-Fitr, one of my favorite days of the year, a time for feasting, friendship and ... Read More

A thirteen-year-old boy, his possessions close at hand and surrounded by strangers, is on his way to New Jersey. He left his small Italian town for a multi-day trek by foot and train to Naples and then boarded a ship, one larger than any he had ever seen. He is alone in the North Atlantic, a place feared for its ... Read More

When I signed up to participate in the Overseas Educational Experience in Africa, I didn’t know what to expect. I was a little nervous to travel that far away from home, but mostly excited at the possibility of visiting the continent of Africa and seeing, first-hand, the CWS programs there. I had no idea the life-changing experience that lay ahead ... Read More

Washington, D.C.—Church World Service today celebrated a ruling from the Central District Court of California approving a motion to remove unaccompanied children from inhumane outdoor encampments. In the ruling by Judge Dolly Gee, the Court found that as the children are legally in the custody of the Department of Homeland Security, the housing conditions violate the Flores settlement by not ... Read More

In recent months conditions have deteriorated rapidly in Haiti, where armed gangs have seized control of much of the capital city of Port-Au-Prince and millions remain at risk of indiscriminate violence and persecution. In new guidance released on March 20, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) stated that nearly half of the country’s 11.4 million people require some form of humanitarian ... Read More

Late on March 22 – nearly halfway into this fiscal year – Congress finally passed an FY 2024 appropriations bill that will keep the government funded through September 30. The bill covered a number of key refugee accounts and policies, including several accounts that support the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and expand our capacity to provide lifesaving assistance to ... Read More

Ebocwa and Nadia in their home garden In 2018, due to ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ebocwa and his wife Nadia had to leave their home and flee to Tanzania where they would have to restart their lives in the Nyarugusu Refugee Camp. Life was immediately challenging and Ebocwa was soon forced to make a difficult decision ... Read More

Washington, DC — This week, Church World Service joined with over 140 global groups calling for a permanent ceasefire in Palestine. In a letter with partners at the Churches for Middle East Peace, CWS called for a lasting cessation of hostilities in Palestine, following months of bombings, ground assaults, and a growing humanitarian crisis that is quickly devolving into famine. ... Read More

On March 14, Sarah Michitsch, CWS Harrisburg’s Resettlement Supervisor, had the opportunity to attend the National Immigration Forum Luncheon in Washington D.C. featuring two insightful panel discussions that shed light on crucial aspects of immigration reform. The first panel, which included panelists Rep. Lloyd Smucker and Rep. Henry Cuellar, answered questions about bipartisan bills aimed at reforming immigration policies. Among ... Read More

Dance in the Community was more than just a series of steps and movements; the program, hosted by CWS Harrisonburg, became a platform for refugee and immigrant children to express themselves in a new environment, using the universal language of dance.  Led by Suzanne, a James Madison University dance professor, Dance in the Community aimed to bridge cultural gaps and ... Read More

“When a person commits a crime, a double sentence is paid. The person goes to jail and serves his sentence, but the other sentence is the one that his children and family members who are left suffering outside also pay. Then, when he comes out, the social stigma follows. And that sentence is perpetual.” For more than 40 years, Railda ... Read More

CWS and Africa team members with U.S. based staff on recent program visit trip in Tanzania and Kenya There’s a somewhat magical aspect of remote work that occurs every now and then when you finally get to meet your coworkers in person. A name from an email gets a face, a face from a weekly team call gets a personality. ... Read More

Angelique’s journey from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Kenya and finally to the United States is a story of determination and strength. Despite facing obstacles to continue her studies in Kenya, Angelique’s dream of continuing her education and becoming a doctor never wavered. In October 2023, Angelique joined her brother in Virginia and, within a month, he was also ... Read More

As Ramadan begins, the gentle ping of text messages bearing wishes of Ramadan Kareem signals the imminent arrival of this sacred month. As I write this piece, my phone has nearly fifty messages of Ramadan wishes from friends around the world. A reminder of what Ramadan is to many of us: connections and checking on friends and family. I am ... Read More

CWS Renews Call for a Permanent Ceasefire in Gaza   Washington, D.C.—Following tonight’s State of the Union address by President Biden, Church World Service expresses its concern over the framing of key immigration and humanitarian issues that impact hopeful new Americans. The organization readily acknowledges the need to address the economic and social worries the president raised in tonight’s address, ... Read More

Scroll through the gallery above to see Penda in her garden In the Nyarugusu refugee camp in Tanzania lives a woman named after the Swahili word for love, Penda. With just one smile, we could see that Penda’s name fits her perfectly. Like many of the refugees in the camp, Penda fled the intense violence in her home country, Democratic ... Read More

When I began working at CWS in September of 2021, I never anticipated I would find myself directing for a fashion show two and a half years later. But retracing the trajectory from the beginning of my time at CWS to Common Threads, our February 8th show this year—it all starts to make sense!   I started my career at ... Read More