I've served as a communications volunteer with Asylum Access, and admire the knowledge and resourcefulness of this nonprofit. Also, the group's unique and doable mission of helping refugees become able to access employment in their fields within their host countries. This is a very specific and realistic goal that our world can accomplish without large amounts of money, which benefits the host countries as well as refugees when those who have fled their homelands start businesses and employ locals. Asylum Access does a lot with very little, and has assisted thousands of people. I wholeheartedly support this organization!
I have only been volunteering with Asylum Access Thailand (AAT) for a few weeks, but I am so impressed by Asylum Access's commitment to refugees and asylum seekers. We just found out that between the handful of global offices, Asylum Access helped over 100,000 refugees and asylum seekers this past year. I can personally say that I have seen AAT's dedication to helping as many people as possible. My fellow legal advocates work countless hours to ensure they personally talk to each and every refugee that comes through our doors, even if it is just to acknowledge that we understand the hardships they are facing. We frequently see entire families struggling to make it in Bangkok, but we also see them come together within the refugee community to support each other. Asylum Access provides asylum seekers with guidance as they go through the refugee status determination process in Bangkok, which means providing them with interpreters to practice the interviews, assistance with writing testimony in English, and access to stress management counselors. Each service is invaluable for refugees who often have no voice or opportunity to be heard before their determination interviews and no mean preparing for their interviews. I am so inspired by our clients and cannot praise Asylum Access enough for creating the opportunity for us to help and for refugees to get help.
Pregnant with my 3rd child, I took refuge from the Rwandan genocide in the Congo. I found a job working for an American nonprofit, but was arrested and torturred by Congolese authorities after being suspected of being a U.S. spy. When I was released, I fled to Uganda, where I found Asylum Access. They helped me and my family get the legal assistance and advocacy we needed to obtain legal refugee status, so we wouldn't have to return to countries in which our lives were endangered. We were eventually able to resettle in the U.S. (summary of client story posted by staff member)