Andrew Christiansen is KGUN 9's Catalina Foothills reporter. Send your story ideas to Andrew at [email protected].
CATALINA FOOTHILLS, Ariz. — Charles Barakikiza squeezed oranges at St. Francis in the Foothills United Methodist Church on Tuesday. It’s a routine he and other refugees like him take part in every first Tuesday of the month.“We come from countries which is not politically stable and we don’t have a future,” Barakikiza said. “So when we are here, we have hope.”
He started volunteering for the Ishkashitaa Refugee Network and worked his way up to becoming an advisory board member. He attributes his success in the network to being able to communicate with other refugees from his home country.On Tuesday, he pressed oranges against a juicer, laughing and joking with volunteers from the community and other refugees. They were oranges that were donated by a local community member and also oranges refugees harvested themselves.
Eris Shaver runs their shop online and their social media. She started volunteering during the pandemic after a friend who volunteered told her about the network. Shaver also had a food-related major in college.“Where I get to learn about their language and the country they come from, and they get to practice English and learn about food,” Shaver said.
Immigration Iskashitaa Refugee Network Refugees Tucson
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