VPM NPR: The STEPS program in Charlottesville, developed by International Neighbors, helps refugee women—many on Special Immigrant Visas—build community, access resources and skills, and ease isolation as they adjust to life in their new home. Read the full article.
At 23 years old, Bahati Majuto fled the Democratc Republic of the Congo after the 1996 war left many of his family members slaughtered, and his town annihilated. Bahati was separated from his wife and son in the process. A refugee camp in Burundi was Bahati's "home" for five years, until he reunited with his family in South Africa. Bahati, a renowned tailor for many of Africa's elite, attempted to continue his career by working out of a shipping-container-turned-tailor-shop that he created. His business was attacked and the makeshift building was destroyed twice in three years. Finally, in 2013—16 years after first applying for refugee status with the UNHCR—the Majuto family was resettled in Charlottesville, Virginia. His first years in the United States were not without challenges. When International Neighbors connected with the Majuto family, they were struggling with meaningful employment, isolation, and healthcare access. We were able to coordinate a vehicle donation, help them understand bills and medical care in the U.S., and assist with home improvements including having a dangerous dead tree removed in their backyard where a now-thriving garden grows. Bahati is now a homeowner and a naturalized citizen. He continues to work multiple jobs to provide for his family of seven, and sends money to his surviving relatives in Africa. His oldest son graduated from William & Mary in 2021 and is studying for his Master's at Yale University. Bahati has moved from client to volunteer and donor at International Neighbors. He has connected 23 families with our services, given countless rides to refugees in his IN-donated vehicle, and made a gift to our Annual Fund in 2025. “I know firsthand what International Neighbors does for newcomers, and it is God's work,” says Bahati. "When I give to this organization, I feel like I am donating to the church, directly to the mission of Jesus."
A Decade of Helping Newcomer Families Build Stability, Connection, and Belonging