In Focus: Gordon, Krause join OPE/Accra and Vicky Knight moves up
CWS Immigration and Refugee Program Director Joe Roberson presents OPE/Accra's
Vicky Knight with a certificate marking her first five years of service with
CWS.
Photo: Carol Fouke-Mpoyo |
Since 2001, the Overseas Processing Entity (OPE) in Accra has assisted more than 25,000 refugees of 17 nationalities to resettle to the United States. In FY2007, OPE/Accra facilitated the departure of 2,192 refugees to the United States. OPE/Accra is responsible for processing refugees located in 21 countries in West and Central Africa. OPE/Accra also provides Cultural Orientation to refugees scheduled for departure to the United States. This three-day course provides refugees age 15 and over with important information regarding their rights and responsibilities once they arrive in the United States. The theme of the training is achieving early self-sufficiency, although other topics such as health care, education, and parenting also are covered.OPE/Accra implements the resettlement program through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Department of State. Our sister organization, Joint Voluntary Agency/Nairobi (JVA), is responsible for the processing of refugees in Eastern and Southern Africa. Church World Service, a voluntary agency resettling refugees in the United States, administers both OPE/Accra and JVA. OPE, 10 Quarcoo Lane, Roman Ridge, Ghana |