The IRC in Silver Spring's Economic Empowerment program has expanded its offerings to include classes on financial literacy.

Hser Nay and her family joined the IRC in Utah’s New Roots program last year as budding farmers ready to grow fresh produce, work to achieve their goals of financial independence, and build a better life for their kids. They have achieved incredible success while building stronger bonds as a family and with their community.

The IRC’s education programming for primary school-aged children has three overarching goals: (1) to ensure that children enroll in and attend school regularly; (2) to protect children from all forms of violence in school and on their way to school; and (3) to build fundamental reading, math and social-emotional skills.

 Since 2012, clashes between Buddhists and minority Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar’s Rakhine state have forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. Three Rohingya health workers, who work with the IRC and continue to live in desperate conditions in Rakhine’s camps, tell their stories.

In observation of Ramadan, the IRC in NY hosted a beautiful Iftar in the office on Wednesday, April 12th. The staff gathered to transform the office into an elegant dining space, setting up tables with dates and water, for clients and friends in attendance. The staff teamed up to host, decorate, and prepare the food for the Iftar. Ahmed, our Senior Finance Manager led the Adhan (call to prayer), after which friends and family prayed the sunset prayer and of course, ate!  

Reem takes a deep breath, closing her eyes as she lets her mind calm. This simple technique, which she learned from her IRC counselor, has helped Reem overcome the trauma of living in war-torn Syria.

At the one-year mark since Storm Daniel devastated Libya's eastern coast, the IRC and four other leading international aid agencies: Acted, International Medical Corps (IMC), the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), and Première Urgence Internationale (PUI), reflect on the emergency flood response in Libya and outline remaining needs.

In February, refugee youth in the IRC in Silver Spring’s After-School Program learned the meaning and importance of civic engagement by participating in their first ever community service project at A Wider Circle in Silver Spring, MD. Youth toured the organization’s facilities, learned about the services it provides and people it serves, and then spent the morning helping with different projects, such as sorting books, folding clothes and moving furniture.