Assessing the Needs of Congolese Refugee Women

Refugees are people who have been forced out of their home countries to get away from war, persecution, or natural disasters. In 2016, many Congolese refugees came to America to escape war in their home country. Many of these refugees are women who come with their children. Transitioning to life in America for these Congolese refugee women was not easy. Many of them experienced language difficulties, acculturation, assimilation, poverty, depression, etc. This study explored the needs of Congolese refugee women after transitioning to living in America. Using a qualitative research design, 20 participants were interviewed. 20 semi-structured were conducted. The interviews were coded and analyzed thematically. Major findings and themes within the answers were many refugee women needed bus tickets to get back and forth to places, money for things food stamps did not cover (soap, shampoo,etc), help finding a job that will accept their health conditions ( back problems, swollen feet, swollen legs, etc), money for rent and buying houses, and help bringing relatives over to America.