Knitting Refugees

For my first observation, I went into the International Rescue Committee office and met the volunteer coordinator, Joanie. She was with whom I had primarily been emailing to set up the observation and we started with a brief discussion of what exactly I would be doing and what sorts of things I hoped to observe. When I went in, there was not too much going on, but she did alert me to some upcoming events which would be of interest for me to attend. She did, however, take me to see their new space the IRC had set up for the women refugees interested in knitting. Working with a couple of proficient knitters as leaders, the women work on knitting projects which are then sold around the valley. This is a way for them to make money, and they get to keep all profits made from selling these items. I thought this was really cool and something I could possibly get involved in helping with because I enjoy knitting and have been doing it for awhile.

Primarily, the knitting group consists of women from Bhutan and there were three women when I went in. They seemed to be shy and kept quiet for the most part but were friendly and welcomed me with smiles. The group calls themselves "Bhutan Bunnu," bunnu being Bhutanese for knitting. All of the women had been held in Nepalese refugee camps for 17 years! For my next observation I hope to get a chance to talk more to the women about what it was like for them to be trapped for 17 years and then have freedom. It seems like that would be such an extreme shift and would be very difficult to to adjust. I was shown around their new workspace, which they have been in the process of putting together and are nearing completion. There is an actually an open house this Saturday I believe, so I will definitely be there to support the group and maybe make a couple purchases. I was talking to Joanie and she told me they get donations of yarn from all over the country and last winter when selling their product, nearly 100 people from the valley bought items the women had knitted. All of that money went to the individual knitter.

After talking to Joanie, it appears as though the IRC provides all sorts of activities for women, men, and children. I am curious as to how the ideas process works for the volunteers, and what other sorts of things they do to help the refugees make their own way in Boise. I know they help with job preparation and all of that, but I wonder for what types of jobs. And if the refugees do not have jobs, what other alternatives do they have? Since I haven't been able to really talk to the refugees I still want to know how difficult it was for them to assimilate. Also, did they have to leave any family behind, and can they still contact them if so? What is it like for them to do basic tasks, such as grocery shopping, especially since they probably cannot find their native foods in Boise grocery stores? Are there specialty stores in Boise to cater to the burgeoning refugee community? How well do the refugees get along with each other? I am going to go in tomorrow for a volunteer meeting so I can see more of that side of the operation.