A family has arrived in Helena from the Democratic Republic of the Congo after 25 years in a Tanzanian refugee camp. This is a family of 10 with a grandmother, mother and dad and seven children between two and 17.

The Congolese family has already been granted asylum, vetted by the U.S. State Department, Homeland Security, and the International Office of Migration.

HARRT, now the Helena Area Refugee Resettlement Team, opened the HARRT CENTER at 2712  Billings Avenue where all refugees and immigrants are welcomed and offered assistance with making Helena their home.

HARRT has successfully welcomed 11 families and two individuals. Some have left Helena after finding family members in other states. Those remaining are all now largely independent and living ‘on the economy’.  “Considering their starting point, and the level of resources we had, this is a remarkable achievement” says  treasurer Martin Finnegan.

This Congolese family has relatives already settled and employed in Missoula, Montana. Unfortunately, Missoula no longer has capacity to house this family and so HARRT has agreed to welcome them in Helena.  If Helena had not accepted them, they would have gone to the bottom of the list – meaning many more years in a refugee camp.

HARRT will sponsor the family and assist with finding housing, jobs and becoming  integrated, contributing members of our community. HARRT now works directly with International Rescue Committee Headquarters, continuing to aid refugees.

This family arrived at the  Nyarugusu Refugee Camp in Tanzania in 1999 after leaving behind civil war in The Democratic Republic of Congo  (DRC). All of the children were born in the refugee camp. Nyarugusu has about 150,000 people in the camp. The family members had to walk for water each day and the children received limited formal education. Refugees were not allowed to leave the camp. Imagine, the 17 year old boy never went beyond the radius of the camp.

Five of the seven children are school age and will be attending Helena Schools. The school district has welcomed other refugee children. We believe our Helena kiddos will benefit from friendships with children of other cultures. English as a Second Language (ESL) will also be offered to the adults through HARRT as the family speaks Swahili and limited English.

The U.S. State Department pays $1,325 per family member – one time only – which helps cover rent, food, medical costs, etc. for 90 days. The adults will begin working as soon as they adjust. They arrive fully vetted and on a path to citizenship and will have both Social Security cards and valid work permits.

Relocating to the USA and starting a new life is an amazing opportunity for these people. But it is not easy. New customs, new language, and extremely limited funds are huge hurdles. Based on HARRT’s experience, refugees are eager to work, to contribute and become self sufficient. It takes time to get there.

The most pressing needs now are job offers and a vehicle as Helena has very limited transportation. Volunteers are needed to assist the family in integrating into the community by giving rides and invitations to local events, etc. (Please call 406 422-1199 to volunteer.)

Ongoing financial support is needed now. Please donate on our DONATE PAGE.
Even a small amount helps tremendously in their journey to becoming “Americans”.

“We are so grateful for the support from the businesses and the community of Helena,” said Executive Director Valerie Hellermann.  “They have welcomed refugees with open arms.”