Overcomers Refugee Services

The mission of Overcomers Refugee Services is to empower refugees to become successful, contributing members of New Hampshire society. Our motto is Educate, Empower, Engage. Overcomers is committed to providing social services through case workers who have themselves experienced the dislocation and trauma of forced migration, and who have transformed themselves from refugees to United States citizens. Overcomers is committed to educating refugees so they can become fully engaged citizens of their new country, and is committed to reconciliation and healing between refugee groups. Our Executive Director, Clement Kigugu, established Overcomers Refugee Services in 2013. His vision (now the organizational vision) is that settled refugees are best able to teach new arrivals what they need to know about their new home because they speak the same languages and have shared similar experiences. Mr. Kigugu came to the US from Rwanda in 2006 where he ran a non-profit helping victims of genocide. From personal experience, he knows the trauma that many refugees carry and that these traumas need to be addressed so they can engage successfully with other refugees and host members of their new community.

Overcomers helps the refugee and new American communities in the Concord and Manchester areas. We are a team of four staff (2 full-time), an engaged Board of Directors that is 60% refugee and 40% long-time Concord residents, and a large and active group of volunteers who support our paid staff on many fronts, from home visits and English lessons, to office administration and client transportation. Our case workers and volunteers help clients access social services and healthcare (including transportation to and interpretation during appointments) and assist with US immigration issues. We help our clients find and keep jobs (identify and create connections with appropriate employers, help with resumes, applications and interviews, teach basic workplace etiquette and safety orientation) and help with unemployment claims. We give direct language support (reading and interpreting mail, explaining forms, and home language lessons by volunteers), engage refugee youth to help build the language skills of their elders and provide referrals to ESL classes. In every client contact, Overcomers gives practical information to help its clients adapt to American culture (from explaining cultural differences concerning child care and domestic life to basics about recycling). Our goal is to teach our clients what it means to be a good citizen and neighbor in New Hampshire. We provide classes in cultural orientation and citizenship classes. Overcomers is committed to conciliation, healing and peace-building. As our staff work with refugees one on one, they help our clients reconsider old biases and anger. We also offer group discussions to help shift clients toward forgiveness and acceptance. Overcomers supports a youth group and women’s group and periodic events focused on education and empowerment.