Culture Clash: How Resettled Refugees See Their New Life

Through the auspices of the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) and the Health and Human Service’s Office of Refugee Resettlement, the Durham/RTP area has played an instrumental role in providing a home for newly resettled refugees from many areas including Iraq, Sudan and Bhutan.  These refugees are typically provided with limited funds, during which time they are expected to develop the skills necessary to become self-supporting.  This is a difficult task, since the refugees are often illiterate, lack the ability to speak English, and do not possess many of the skills needed to survive in this tough economy.  It is therefore crucial to provide them with resources that will help them to develop the skills that will help them become self-sufficient.  The proposed business, a residential cleaning company, is directed towards the needs of a group of ethnic Nepali refugees who have been displaced from Bhutan. The business will provide employment for the refugees, while simultaneously providing many of the educational and cultural immersion experiences necessary to become a productive member of society.