Announcement
In 2022, the IRC in Silver Spring supported over 150 Ukrainians who came to the U.S. since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
While each newcomer has a different story, they share in the experience of fleeing their home country for fear of violence and persecution. In recognition of the one-year anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, we spoke with client, Zhumaima, who came to the U.S. in July 2022 after leaving Ukraine.
Photo: Zhumaima, IRC client
Zhumaima was born in Luhansk and lived in Kyiv, working for a non-profit centered on organizing events for youth. Zhumaima remembers that on February 24th, the day of the invasion, her brother was the first to contact her with the news of Russian advances into their country.
While Zhumaima’s family encouraged her to leave, she felt hesitant, knowing that everyone close to her were still in Ukraine. Eventually, Zhumaima decided to move in with her uncle in Belgium before being granted entry into the U.S. as a Ukrainian humanitarian parolee, a status which would allow her temporary refuge in the U.S.
Once she came to the U.S, she quickly found the IRC in Silver Spring which supported her in taking her first steps to begin her life in a new home. Zhumaima’s first priority was to receive her work permit which she applied for with the assistance of her brother, who was living in the U.S. While waiting for her work permit, IRC staff supported Zhumaima with applying for public benefits including cash assistance, SNAP and medical insurance, to get her started in covering her basic living expenses. Zhumaima received her work permit in the Fall of 2022 and was able to find a position through the support of her employment specialist.
Zhumaima now also works for a youth organization in the U.S. that implements youth exchange projects for young people throughout the country. Zhumaima is grateful for her support system back in Ukraine that motivated her along the journey to the U.S.