Eighteen students interested in refugee and immigration issues have returned from a service trip to 亚利桑那州.
Members of 内布拉斯加州卫斯理大学’s 全球服务学习(GSL) spent part of their winter break in Tucson, 亚利桑那州, where they worked alongside volunteers and refugees who harvest fruits and vegetables and provide them to those in need.
GSL成员 worked with two organizations: Iskashitaa难民收获网络 and Marana Farms. Together they worked on various activities including harvesting produce, 覆盖大蒜, 拔杂草和玉米杆, 照料动物, 和缝纫.
The focal organization the group worked with was the Iskashitaa难民收获网络, a volunteer-based organization that works to aid and empower refugees in the Tuscon area. The organization’s founder recognized a need after seeing citrus trees go to waste. 一棵柠檬树, 例如, 能提供4个,一个季节里有000个柠檬, said NWU senior and Global 服务学习 member Kaycie Rupp.
The organization’s founder began approaching fruit tree owners, many of whom were willing to have their trees harvested. Iskashitaa volunteers and refugees help harvest the donated produce. The produce is then sold at local markets or given to the refugees.
“One surprising thing was how nothing was wasted from the produce,一年级学生凯尔西·阿伦兹说. “水果、种子、果皮都被派上了用场.”
“The people we worked with were amazing,” Rupp said of the refugees. “It was interesting to see the cultural differences and work to gain some understanding of their experiences.”
GSL成员也与Marana农场合作, an entity that works with uncertified organic farms and grows food for local food banks.
“It provides an opportunity for food banks to receive fresh produce instead of the pre-packaged food, and provides families with healthier options,拉普说。.
Food that is not donated to the food bank is sold at local farmer’s markets.
“The farmer’s markets in Tucson are different than those we know of in our community,” said Arends. “The markets are year-round and cater to lower-income individuals, accepting food stamps and offering necessities, rather than the luxury items we see in our markets.”
GSL成员 were just a few blocks away from a Tucson supermarket where the deadly shooting that killed six and injured thirteen others including 亚利桑那州 congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords happened.
“When the incident occurred, we felt like a third party watching,” said Arends. “The organization leaders were trying to explain the situation to the refugees, whose first instincts were to comfort the leaders.”
“Everyone in the group we were working with seemed to know the congresswoman; it truly displayed a sense of community within the organizations,拉普说。.
“在整个旅程中, we saw the generosity and culture built among volunteers and refugees,拉普继续说. “This trip allowed us to step out of our own perspective and try to understand the refugee experience.”