During the filming of Tzu Chi USA’s series “The Resettled”, the production team traveled to northern California and interviewed refugees Zaw Phan from Burma and Sonny Le from Vietnam, both of whom have made a successful life for themselves in San Francisco. Zaw, who fled from Burma after involvement in protests during the Saffron Revolution in 2007 put his life in danger, now works for the Newcomers Health Program (NHP), “a clinic and community-based health program with the mission to promote the health and well-being of refugees, asylees, and immigrants throughout San Francisco”.
Approximately 50,000 documented refugees and asylees have resettled in San Francisco since the late 1970s, and received health assessments through the NHP. Sonny Le was one of those early arrivals who came in 1980, as one of the famed “boat people” who escaped the Vietnam war. And while he moved to a poor area in San Francisco which earned the name “Little Saigon” because of all the Vietnamese refugees who settled there at the time, today it could be called “Little Baghdad” or “Little Kabul” due to an evolving demographic that reflects where wars are taking place around the world.
Cristy Dieterich was also eager to point out the admirable qualities of newcomers, qualities that deserve our utmost respect:
I've learned a tremendous amount from refugees and new immigrants to the US. I've been able to view things, challenges, and bright-spots with a new perspective. I've been humbled and rewarded by graciousness, impressed with knowledge, abilities, and strength of new arrivals. I can't imagine facing what some individuals and families have dealt with while keeping humanity, dignity, and grace. I only hope I could. I'm inspired by getting to know them. I know they make us all stronger.
They may inspire us with their energy and spirit, but for newcomers to succeed in their new resettled life, they need to build on a foundation of health. The services the NHP provides are essential. In the case of asylees, although most have been in this country many years, they have never had the opportunity to get a check-up to learn their health status.
In most cases, they didn’t have health insurance or couldn’t afford to pay for healthcare services.
As for refugees, many come from countries where preventative care is not the norm, and medical attention is only sought once a person is sick or dying. And yet…
To be successful in life, you have to have a good foundation of health – problems start from there.
This is also the insight Master Cheng Yen had years ago when she observed that in many cases, the reason individuals and families sink into poverty is illness. So to combat poverty, we need to equally address health. Today, providing free medical outreach, clinics, and healthcare is central to Tzu Chi’s mission in the United States and internationally.
Helping resettle refugees/asylees in the U.S. is a really touching job. It’s not only our responsibility, but it is also everyone’s responsibility.
Watch The Resettled – Episode 2: No Going Back to learn more about Sonny Le and Zaw Phan’s story
