Rana and Huda Shanawani, Hanna Cox, and Talia White: Helping Syrian Refugees Make a New Life in New Jersey

Rana Shanawani and her mother Huda (if timing permits) together with teenagers Hanna Cox and Talia White will tell us about their work with Syrian refugees who have settled in New Jersey. While the two youngsters have been tutoring the children, helping them learn English and tackle other school subjects, the Shanawanis have been assisting the adults with everything from housing to language, employment, and cultural adjustments.

Rana Shanawani has been working on founding Refugee Outreach International (ROI), a nonprofit which secures local technical resources for refugees both in the US and overseas. Rana will discuss some of the challenges that local Syrian refugees have been experiencing here in NJ, and her experience at a Syrian refugee camp in Greece.

Rana is currently the Executive Director for the Women’s Center for Entrepreneurship Corp. in Chatham, NJ (WCEC). Before working at the WCEC, she was a non-profit consultant helping international organizations in strategic management. In 2004, after working as a UN consultant for several years, she served as the CEO of BIDAYA, a chapter of the Prince’s Youth Business International in Syria providing under-served entrepreneurs with training, micro-loans and mentoring. During her tenure there she received the Takreem Achievement Award for Best Young Entrepreneur and was selected to meet with President Barack Obama and Secretary Clinton at the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship. Ms. Shanawani has received her Master’s in Public Health from Johns Hopkins, and her Bachelors in biology from Cornell University. “I see all development work, through a health and human rights lens. When socioeconomic human rights are secured, it cascades into public health improvement for all.”

Born and raised in Damascus, Syria, Huda Shanawani came to live in the United States when she was 16, with her new husband. She finished her college education while raising four children and learning everything she could from what the free culture of America offered.

She has been translating for the official courts of New Jersey for over 30 years. Teaching Arabic privately for many years led Huda to her starting the Arabic program at Union County College after receiving her Master’s degree. She has been teaching Arabic at the college for several years.

Over the years, Huda has visited family in Damascus. She creates art work with references to the vivid landscapes and vibrant cities she grew up with.

Hanna Cox and Talia White are juniors at Columbia High School. They got involved in helping the refugees through a group at Talia’s synagogue. Among other efforts, Hanna and Talia have sought to organize a collection of hygiene products at their school.