Help Refugees Become Self-Reliant

TRANSFORM Lives For Ukrainian Refugees in the United States

Language barriers are often the single most frustrating part of a refugee’s experience. Lacking English skills can make an adult refugee ineligible to get a job, scared to sign a lease, and incapable of helping his or her children navigate a new school situation. This is where LAURA (Language Assistance for Ukrainian Refugees in America) makes a difference.

Testimonials: Check out a video message from our students who are currently enrolled in the program.

LAURA provides FREE English language lessons to Ukrainian refugees in the United States and needs your help to continue its simple, but critical mission.

Where is the FUNDING needed?

Currently, more than 80 students are receiving quality ESL education in LAURA’s 4th three-month offering period (one semestr). Already 43 of our students have either found new employment or upgraded to higher-paying positions. As of today, we have a waiting list and have received 248 applications from Ukrainians eager to receive English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction through the program.

We pay five American teachers as of this offering period.

Teachers are compensated $30 per hour, and instruction is given six hours per week. With administrative costs, our current budget for one three-month period is $25,170.

We have worked hard to create this simple and efficient model, which amounts to approximately $4 per hour of instruction per student.

Our initial goal is to raise $16,780 to complete the current period (semester ) of the LAURA PROGRAM for all 8 groups of students (80 people in total).

If additional funds are raised, we will be able to provide further education for current students and expand the number of classes and participants.

We do not want to stop; we aim to develop our project and continue growing to help even more Ukrainians in America.

Background:

On February 24, 2022, when Russia brutally attacked Ukraine, Ukrainian Yelyzaveta (Elizabeth) Arhunova found herself with just one suitcase in the city of Austin, on a short tourist trip. She quickly understood that life in her hometown was forever changed. She began her journey of adaptation in a new country.

Being a refugee means abruptly losing many fundamental things at once: homeland, home, family integrity, a circle of friends, career, financial independence, and goals. At this moment, the life of a new refugee narrows down to one concentrated task - stabilize one's existence. Elizabeth recognized this challenge and noticed in particular that if a refugee lacks knowledge of the local language, the challenge can be overwhelming.

So Few Language Programs Available:

Months passed, and through her own experience Elizabeth felt the limited resources of language support in Austin for refugees. She explored the various offerings and discovered that there simply weren't any online programs where refugees with little income could effectively and rapidly learn the English language. The free education system for people in need is underdeveloped and very weak. And then, being an entrepreneur by nature, Elizabeth set out to find resources to create effective language support for herself and her fellow Ukrainians who ended up in the United States due to the war in Ukraine! And she succeeded!

In December 2022, LAURA was founded, and operations began in spring of 2023 under the management of both Elizabeth and project co-founder Blair Bourassa.

Our goals today are:

1). Provide English skills to adults refugee students from Ukraine.

2) Create more online classes to have the opportunity to teach English to even more Ukrainians in need, eagerly awaiting our assistance.

3) Generate more job opportunities by attracting more teachers to work on the project.

4) Enhance the project, optimize processes, and expand its capabilities to provide more opportunities for people in need of ESL

A bit more info on who LAURA program students are today . . .

Primarily, our students are adults with education ranging from secondary to higher degrees, having professional experience in various fields and industries. They are hardworking, disciplined, and professionally oriented individuals. They are also motivated to become financially independent and provide for their families.

These motivated individuals are committed to education, having already lost much, and their goal is to build their reality in a new society according to the laws and customs of that society.

Please feel free to contact us via email at [email redacted]

and visit our website https://www.aurahelps.com/laura-program.

We greatly appreciate your time and desire to help this important project grow and provide quality language support to refugees in need of education.