TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Pima Community College offers classes for refugees new to the Tucson community. Recently, they prepared for 500 people from Afghanistan.
"This is not an easy process because there are a lot of students coming all at once," Sara Haghighi, the Pima Community College Refugee Education Program Coordinator, said. "We just need to get adjusted to all the change. We are hiring instructors and we are opening more classes to be able to fit all these students into our classes."
The classes are critical to helping the evacuees adjust to their new home.
"We prepare them to feel home in Tucson and to be able to find jobs here," Haghighi said.
Haghighi added that it also helps them maintain and grow within their jobs. It also allows them to communicate and make friends in the community.
"Learning English is very fundamental for these people," Haghighi said. "English is the language spoken on the street and that's the way they need to communicate with everyone on the street."
The classes are offered online, in-person, and in a hybrid form. The students try to attend as often as they can despite work.
"You see when they come here with all the struggles that they've been through they are very eager to study they are happy," Haghighi said. They try to do their best to take advantage of all the opportunities they have."
If you are interested in learning more about the program or interested in volunteering with the program, click here.
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