Church World Service

In her day-to-day job on CWS’ Southwest Region team, Lena Asensio, Regional Deputy Director, works behind the scenes to ensure that all the necessary parts of the region’s programs are in place and working properly. She spends most of her time researching grant opportunities and “identifying gaps or areas where systems need to be better designed or structured.” Beyond the ... Read More

The CWS Indianapolis office, which opened in 2023, is a small but mighty team of ten staff members dedicated to making a meaningful difference in their community. The office’s primary focus is on the Home Study and Post Release Services program, which supports unaccompanied children as they settle into their new homes. While the team is packed with talented staff ... Read More

Houston, TX – Church World Service (CWS) is pleased to announce a new grant from the Texas Bar Foundation to improve access to legal information through education about rights and responsibilities of new Texas residents. CWS is grateful to be able to partner in this work and contribute its own decades of experience alongside the Foundation in supporting the urgent ... Read More

We are a family of four—father, mother, and two children—from Colombia. We’ve lived in Aruba before we arrived in the United States in August 2024. As we boarded the plane, we were filled with hope and many questions: Where will we live? What will the place be like? Where will Emanuel, our youngest son, go to school? Where will we ... Read More

A bill that would place undocumented North Carolinians at greater risk of surveillance, detention, and deportation will come to a vote before the North Carolina General Assembly on Tuesday, November 19th. The legislature’s effort to enact the bill comes as President-elect Donald Trump is preparing his administration to “carry out the largest deportation operation in history.” HB 10 – Require ... Read More

Life hasn’t always been easy for 16-year-old Levitchi Cornel, who grew up in a single-parent household with his mom and older brother in Ukraine. Since he was seven years old, however, Levitchi has found a safe space at the Diamant Day Center for Children in Telenești. Through his involvement at the Center, which is supported by Church World Service, Levitchi ... Read More

In times of hardship, each of us faces unique trials that can feel overwhelming. Yet within each person lies a strength to grow and adjust. The story of Maria, a ten-year-old Ukrainian girl in Odesa, offers a glimpse of that resilience.  Maria arrived at her first children’s group meeting in our safe space at CWS partner, Positive Women, with a ... Read More

When war intensified in Ukraine’s Kramatorsk region in 2022, 16-year-old Nicolae and his family were forced to flee to Bălți, Moldova, leaving behind their home and familiar life. Like many displaced students, Nicolae faced the daunting challenge of continuing his education in a foreign country while dealing with the trauma of conflict. Determined to pursue his studies, Nicolae found hope ... Read More

I never imagined that I would be forced to leave my home; the place where I grew up, got married and began raising my family. But in 2015, as conflict engulfed eastern Ukraine, I found myself in the middle of a war zone, living just 200 kilometers from Donetsk. Every day brought new fears—the sounds of conflict were getting closer, ... Read More

Climate change is a pressing global crisis, the impacts of which are already visible in record-breaking heat waves, catastrophic hurricanes and extreme weather events worldwide. Our carbon footprint- the total greenhouse gasses we release through our activities- contributes to this rapidly changing climate. By reducing our carbon footprint, we contribute to a safer, more resilient environment and help ensure that ... Read More

Immigrants and refugees living in the United States face mounting challenges like restrictive immigration policies, economic hurdles and widespread misinformation about the circumstances that have led them to seek safety. As a result, conversations about newcomers—those who speak different languages, practice different traditions and bring diverse perspectives—are more important than ever. Having an open and compassionate dialogue with our families ... Read More

In the rural village of Sala Visai, located in Cambodia’s Kampong Thom province, the delicate balance between people and nature has been nurtured for generations. The community, made up of smallholder farmers, indigenous groups such as the Kouy people and forest-dependent families, has long depended on the land’s resources to survive. From agriculture and fishing to forest-based livelihoods, their way ... Read More

Church World Service is a 78-year old humanitarian organization representing 37 Protestant, Anglican, and Orthodox communions, as well as refugee resettlement, home study and post release services, and asylum seeker case management offices and affiliates across the United States. As we prepare for a presidential administration that promises to deport immigrants en masse and restrict access to safety and legal ... Read More

“I remember that day, as if it was a dream… like a drama…” Margaret Kitheka states, as we begin a conversation about her unexpected ascension to the leadership position of her self-help group, where she now sits as the group secretary. The following text is Margaret’s retelling of her experience becoming a leader in this program: With the CWS project ... Read More

In the vibrant hills of West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, Mama Sardina tends to her crops with care and determination. Mama Sardina Malafu is a 40-year-old woman from Camplong, a dedicated farmer, and a member of the Ester Dinar women’s farming group. This group of 18 women is committed to their farming practices and to learning and adopting sustainable agricultural methods. ... Read More

Church World Service Comment on the Final Rule by Departments of Justice and Homeland Security on Securing the Border; USCIS Docket No: USCIS-2024-0006; A.G. Order No. 6053-2024 Church World Service (CWS) submits this comment in opposition to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ)’s final rule on Securing the Border (“STB Rule”), published on October ... Read More

Contact: media@cwsglobal.org Following Election Results, CWS Reaffirms Commitment to Immigrant and Refugee Neighbors, Vulnerable Families Worldwide Washington, D.C.– In response to the news that Donald Trump has been elected for another term to the office of President of the United States, Church World Service President and CEO Rick Santos issued the following statement: “As we prepare to usher in a ... Read More

Donald Trump has won the presidential election. The incoming Trump administration has stated plans to diminish or dismantle the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, end crucial alternative humanitarian pathways, and separate families via mass deportation. During Trump’s first term, his efforts to target newcomer communities were slowed by Congress, courts, and effective organizing efforts by people across the country committed to ... Read More

The presidential election has been called for Donald Trump, who will be inaugurated on January 20. The incoming Trump administration has stated plans to diminish or dismantle the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, end crucial humanitarian pathways like parole, and separate families via mass deportation. As occurs after every election cycle, Congress will now return to Capitol Hill for a special ... Read More

November is National Children’s Month, started to honor and recognize the importance of children and their well-being.  This year it’s important to remember unaccompanied children – children who arrive in the U.S. without a parent or guardian – as we celebrate the beauty of childhood and the resiliency of immigrant children and youth. One important way to honor children this ... Read More