Sacramento, CALIFORNIA 29 Jun 2006 - The International Rescue Committee understands the hardship people experience when resettling in the United States, and the hardships they have endured to get here. The IRC staff in Sacramento works hard to ease the transition for the Hmong refugees who, for the past 30 years, have been making California their new home. The story of Soua Leng Her and his family of four, who arrived in the fall of 2004, is typical.
“During the first Hmong refugee resettlements, from 1975 to 1994, my family and I decided not to come to the United States because all of our relatives were in Laos,” Soua Leng tells IRC’s Hmong case manager Pang Vang. They remained hidden in Ban Vinai Refugee Camp in Thailand until it was closed down, when they relocated to Wat Tham Krabok, where life grew even more difficult.
“We had no assistance from the government, and every day we worked relentlessly in the fields on empty stomachs for the Thai farmers,” recalls Soua Leng. “We were paid as little as $3 a day. Eventually, I said, ‘Enough is enough!” But his hope kept him and his family strong—hope that one day the U.S. would remember the Hmong refugees hiding in the mountain villages.
In 2004, his hopes were realized. “I am so grateful to the IRC for assisting us and helping make our dreams a reality” says Soua Leng. “We are like a real family now. The IRC helped us adapt to our new lives and made Sacramento feel like home. For the first time, my children were given the opportunity to attend school. My wife and I were referred to English classes. The Sacramento office helped us look for jobs and referred us to local services. They were always there to help us solve our problems.”
Pang Vang reassures Soua that the IRC will continue to do everything it can to help other refugees in Sacramento. The Hmong community here has so much to offer. Their loyalty, friendship and stories are making Sacramento a diverse, open and welcoming place for many people who are making it their home.
