The program's mission aligns neatly with United Way Education Designation:
1. Providing after school and mentoring programs for at risk youth.
2. Partnering with schools and parents to improve graduation rates.
Click here to view the program and the testimonials by the students.
Click here to view the testimonial from the Coach.
Goals:
1. Achieve 100% graduation rate of recently arrived at risk immigrant refugee children.
2. Improve fluency of English as second language in refugee children and their parents.
3. Provide after school in person and on line tutoring and mentoring.
Initiative/Background Summary
Since 2008, Sewa International has been working with low-income, refugee immigrant population in the Cleveland area on resettlement, acclimatization, employment, education, skill development, and economic empowerment through various revenue generation programs and projects. Sewa International has identified middle and high school population in the low-income localities that need guidance, mentoring and tutoring assistance to succeed in education.
Statement of Need
The recently arrived refugee high school children lack fluency in English, which is affecting their ability to assimilate in America. This is also making it difficult for them to do well in school. This problem also affects refugee children from Rwanda, Burma and the Middle East settled in Cleveland (140th/Warren) area. The children living in these apartment complexes are energetic and eager to learn. Unfortunately the majority of them develop serious gaps in their education due to language barriers and lack of formal schooling. Many of their families are living at or below poverty line and their parents work long and irregular hours. If these gaps are not addressed as early as possible these children are at a risk for increasing educational difficulties, barriers to higher education and ultimately lower quality of life. Our goal is to address their educational needs to increase high school graduation rates, with one to one tutoring and ultimately equip them with the skills they need to be productive citizens
