African Immigrants

Hubert Matumaini

Hubert Matumaini

Hubert Matumaini sees a problem that needs solving in Dayton, his home of 13 years: the language barrier. He’s already bridging it in certain settings. A leader in Dayton’s Burundian community, he coordinates the public schools’ welcome center, offering classes in English as a second language to new students and their parents.

Now, with entrepreneurship training from AFSC, he is starting a translation business to help African immigrants carry out critical conversations in doctors’ offices, school systems, and courts, where miscommunication could lead to serious damage.

Migwe at refugee conference Nov 2012

Migwe Kimemia, at right, facilitates the economic success and fair trade panel at a November 2012 Dayton conference on refugees.

Something good is brewing in Dayton.

A recent conference on refugees there asked, What strengths do refugees bring to our communities? What challenges do they face, and what is their vision for the future?

Migwe Kimemia

Migwe Kimemia came to the United States in 1998, and has worked for AFSC in Dayton, OH since 2002.

After a multi-year campaign highlighting the positive contributions of immigrants and refugees to the Greater Dayton, Ohio community, the city made history recently by unanimously approving a comprehensive “Welcome Dayton” plan. Dayton officials say the plan focuses on making the community “one that treats all people kindly, fairly and humanely,” as Mayor Gary Leitzell put it.