By Eunice Nyagaka and Winnie Masanya

The Family Welcome Program (FWP) hosted by Missouri State University’s English Language Institute (ELI), collaborates with Springfield Public Schools, the Boys and Girls Club of Springfield, and the International Institute of Southwest Missouri (IISMO) to welcome refugee families in Springfield community. The Stalnaker Boys and Girls Club hosts adult English learning classes for parents, accompanied by childcare services for children under five years old.

One classroom is fully dedicated to the kids who are attended by two international graduate students, driven by a passion for making a difference in the communities they serve. The children are from various countries and diverse backgrounds; Somalia, Mali, Afghanistan, Syria, Congo, and the Central African Republic, among other countries affected by the refugee crisis. The children are vibrant, receptive, and naturalize easily to learning activities. The four-hour program for each day includes a learning session, playtime amongst each other, a singing session, physical activities at the gym, and a craft. These activities emulate other school programs and aim to create a rapport among the children. This structure enables them to communicate with one another, and overall teach them the primary English language skills required for communication when they integrate into the school system.

Despite their different and challenging backgrounds, these families bravely embrace the opportunity of a new beginning in the United States, ready to face the unknown with determination. The children and their families have a promising future thanks to the new opportunities that align with their outstanding potential.