Refugee Lifeline - Friends of Refugees Providing Education and

Refugee Rescue
Kelli Czaykowsky, founder of Friends of Refugees Providing Education and Empowerment
(aka. F.R.E.E.) is passionate about the program she directs in Clarkston, Georgia.
Poverty driven by lack of education is relentless in its inherent ability to inflict
misery, pain, hunger, ill health, sickness, infant mortality, drug addiction,
alcoholism, trafficking and despair. One must realize that attempts to solve poverty
through donations of food, clothing, and basic necessities of life can never
eliminate poverty...they only temporarily ameliorate some of the effects. In fact
when donations of this sort are given in amounts too large, an insidious addiction
for the donations may be fostered that is toxic to self-help ambitions. The only
proven effective means to eradicate poverty and its painful consequences is
education of individuals caught in the vice grip of poverty. Education is rendered
most effective when infused with a knowledge of Christ and a life lived in
accordance with God's laws.
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Individual actions to participate in efforts to counteract the corrosive effects of
poverty take many forms. For us, members of Friends of Refugees Providing
Education and Empowerment, we have undertaken a multi-faceted direct approach
with a special focus on education as a lifeline as follows...
Living in communities in the greater Atlanta area quite by happenstance we
became aware of the poverty in the nearby refugee community of Clarkston,
Georgia. Clarkston is home to some 30,000 refugees with the greatest number
coming from Burma in a steady stream since 2007 when a trickle became a flood.
“Until six or 7 years ago, I had never met a refugee, says Kelli Czaykowsky,
founder and president of Friends of Refugees Providing Education and
Empowerment (F.R.E.E.). “I had no idea that thousands lived so close to my
Lawrenceville home—but so far away from my life. I'm mother of 5—one with
special needs—and I work part-time as an occupational therapist. I am busy—but
always make time for the Home and School organization at my children's school.”
“At a church board meeting, I learned that a very distressed refugee from Myanmar
(aka. Burma) had approached the school with a grave concern. He explained that in
nearby Clarkston, Georgia refugee children were 'floundering' in public school. In
an inner city neighborhood where refugees from over 70 countries speaking some
90 different languages, it is all the teachers can do to try to maintain control.
Fighting and bullying are commonplace and is especially problematic for the
undersized refugees from Burma who suffer from growth stunting due to chronic
malnutrition. The malnutrition resulted from families having spent more than a
decade in refugee camps on the Thai / Burma border having fled the ethnic
violence, fighting and Burmese government persecution. His appeal touched my
heart. I had to learn more. I went to his run-down apartment home in Clarkston,
met some of the refugee children—and I've been back there most every day since,”
she adds.
“Right after my first visit to Clarkston, I told my two best friends—we're going to
help.” In 2010 after untold hours in lengthy meetings with school and government
leaders, enrollment was arranged for 11 refugee students at Duluth Adventist
Christian School (DACS). There their language and academic achievements
improved dramatically once freed from the stress of the chaotic classrooms."
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F.R.E.E.
Co-Founders
(L-R)
1. Kelli Czaykowsky
2. Marina Falls
3. Sharon McIntosh
In Clarkston Kelli learned that the local
public schools were struggling to serve the
refugee community. Overwhelmed by
children from over forty countries speaking
over sixty languages, plagued by gang
violence, and bewildered by a daunting
array of cultures and customs, the public
schools struggle to simply maintain
classroom control where bullying and
fighting are commonplace.
Bullying was particularly bad for the
Burma refugees due to their small stature. A
condition caused by growth stunting due to
malnutrition prevalent in the refugee camps
on the Thai / Burma boarder. The refugees
had spent the last 1-2 decades in the refugee
camps having fled the ethnic violence,
persecution, and poverty at the hands of the
military junta dictatorship that arose in
Burma following World War II.
Refugees in Clarkston, GA
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Early in 2011, the efforts
of F.R.E.E. enjoyed a
tremendous blessing as
several DACS and AAA
refugee students were
awarded ARETE
scholarships—a state
program that provides
school choice options to a
limited number of students
to attend fully-accredited
Georgia elementary and
secondary schools thru
tuition assistance grants.
F.R.E.E. Launches Program to Support Christian Education
Going forward, a visionary school board, motivated parents and students, and generous
donations to F.R.E.E. have contributed to the success of the program allowing for additional
students each year since. By 2016 the number of F.R.E.E. sponsored refugee students had
increased from 11 to 53.
While we say “caring is free”,--quality education is not,” The challenge at F.R.E.E. is that
donations often do not keep pace with expenses. In addition to underwriting tuition, F.R.E.E. also
purchases school uniforms, pays school fees and provides student lunches. We are blessed that
the school has been as understanding as they have been as we have endured funding challenges.
We at F.R.E.E. are keenly aware that we have at times tested their patience. Despite it all, in the
end the Lord has always come thru by touching the hearts of wonderful Christian brethren and
generous souls. F.R.E.E. has set a challenging goal—to offer, through sponsorship, a quality
Christian education to as many refugee children as possible. In faith, we plan to return all
sponsored refugee children for the 2016-17 school year.
Despite ongoing funding challenges, F.R.E.E. maintains an enviable record of success: Forty
five refugee students in grades pre-K through high school just completed another school year at
Duluth Adventist Christian School / Atlanta Adventist Academy ( DACS/AAA ). Nine more
refugee students finished another year in work/study programs at Wildwood Academy and
Harbert Hills. Nearly all of the F.R.E.E.-supported students are performing very well
academically with some achieving outstanding academic excellence with straight A grades.
Language skills and reading comprehension scores have soared. And when students bring
communication skills home, parents learn English and are better prepared to participate and
compete in the job market.
In May 2016, Nang Kim Khup became the second F.R.E.E. sponsored refugee student to
graduate from Atlanta Adventist Academy high school. Jasmine, our first refugee graduate from
Atlanta Adventist Academy, just completed two years of medical missionary training at Hartland
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College. Consistent with her burning desire to return upon graduation back to Burma as an
educator/missionary, on 1 December 2015, Jasmine and a few other Hartland students traveled
back to Thailand and Burma as a member of a Hartland student mission trip that lasted several
weeks. See "Reaching the Karen.pdf" Jasmine's many experiences during this mission trip
served to intensify her long desire to ultimately return to the Karen people of Burma on a much
more permanent basis. While in Thailand Jasmine was able to briefly visit her old home in the
Mae La refugee camp in which she lived with her family for more than a decade. In addition to
the invaluable experience she gained during the mission trip, while there Jasmine had the good
fortune to be able to meet her twin brother Ta Dah and his wife and child. Jasmine had not seen
her brother since her entire family and close relatives had immigrated to the United States in
2008. Ta Dah had been unable to immigrate with the family when he was absent the day
immigration papers were handed out. Without immigration papers he remained in the refugee
camp. Denied the opportunities afforded Jasmine, Ta Dah toils long hours hired out as a manual
laborer on a farm in Thailand.
Holding their son Samuel, Jasmine stands next to her twin brother Ta Dah and his wife.
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In addition to tuition assistance, F.R.E.E. provides donations of food, clothing, furniture,
bicycles, ESL classes, transportation for medical / dental care, counseling and friendship to the
refugee community,. “Breaking the cycle of poverty is difficult,” Czaykowsky concludes, “but
education is the solution.” Please join us in our endeavor with your tax-deductable donation.
DACS/AAA refugee students and some of the many volunteers who help provide school
supplies each year.
For the refugee kids, F.R.E.E. provides uniforms and language tutoring as needed.
Additionally, school lunches are prepared and distributed daily to some 15 of the 45 refugee
students.
F.R.E.E. is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization with a mission to help Clarkston, Georgia refugee
families become self-sufficient, thriving American citizens. Effective, Christ-centered
education for refugee children is one of our primary goals. Learn more at …
www.freerefugees.org
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Excited refugee students pose in a classic “before” picture on uniform purchase day.
Each school year F.R.E.E. buys required DACS school uniforms for the refugee students.
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F.R.E.E. Volunteers Teaching Refugee Children in Clarkston, GA.
Though we are not yet able to enroll these particular refugee children in a true school classroom,
we nevertheless endeavor to teach them in the classroom that God provides as we have no
building facility yet.
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Clarkston Refugee Children
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