Refugees

Over the past year Cache Valley has seen a big influx of Burmese refugees. These refugees, recently sent here after being rescued from refugee camps in Thailand, have lived through horrendous experiences and lost everything that was dear to them - their villages were burned and families destroyed. Those who survived fled to the jungles - many died of malaria, and some "lucky" ones reached the refugee camps and have been there for years. The refugees have come here with few material possessions and few English skills to improve their employment options, so the English Language Center is scrambling to help them. Many more refugees are expected to come in the near future.

Helping the Refugees

"Last year there were more than 13 million new refugees in the world. The United States is resettling more refugees from war-torn Burma (some ten thousand) than from any other country except Iraq. Dozens of them are in Utah facing severe culture shock, language barriers, and readjustment after years in refugee camps. We'll talk with Hser Doh also known as "Chapter," and with Alex Mortensen, who volunteers with Cache Valley's English Language Center, one of the organizations helping the refugees." Listen to the interview below, which first aired July 30th on Utah Public Radio's original program Access Utah.

Our new neighbors

More than 100 Burmese refugees now call valley home.

By Karen Lambert staff writer for The Herald Journal

Read the full article…

Burmese refugees adapting to new life

Editor’s note: The Herald Journal is following some of the more than 100 Burmese refugees who now live in Cache Valley. Watch for this series, called “New Neighbors,” which introduces readers to the refugees.