Help Getting Adjusted and Settled
There are as many reasons for coming to this country as there are immigrants. For some, the choice wasn't a choice at all – they left their homelands because of war, disaster, or genocide, often fleeing the cities and villages their families had lived in for generations under the cover of darkness, surviving in refugee camps for years until a new home can be found for them.
But once they arrive in America, their troubles don't end. They are in a new land, with its own language and customs, knowing no one and without the recognized skills or know-how to find even a basic job. Even though they may have worked as doctors, lawyers, or bankers in their own countries, they are not eligible for those positions anymore, as their degrees and education are not recognized or generally valued by American employers. Resettlement programs provide transition assistance for eight months, but after that, they're largely on their own.
Others arrive in Colorado after winning the diversity visa lottery, dreaming of a new, comfortable life in a country where they have heard anything is possible. But like refugees, they often lack the recognized skills and cultural competency to compete for jobs and integrate into American society. Their dream turns to a nightmare as they discover they have no means of supporting themselves, no assistance from the government, and nowhere to turn.
The remainder of the Colorado African community is made up of students, immigrants, and others who have made their way through the immigration process. Often, they severely underestimate the effort and struggle involved in making a life in America. They miss their homes, their families, their traditions, and their way of life, and wish they had other Africans to turn to for support and for help finding mainstream resources.
For all these men, women, and children, America isn't just a land of opportunity... it's a place where they have to start over, sometimes from nothing. Colorado African Organization's programs are designed to help them regain their footing and thrive in their new surroundings. By offering education in areas like computers, health, and English as a second language, we encourage Colorado's Africans to reach their dreams and realize happy, productive lives and careers.
Colorado African Organization’s programs are designed to help Colorado's African people find long-term and lasting success. Click on any of the tabs above to see information about each one specifically.