50 Bridge St., Suite 203, Manchester, NH 03101
Cell (603)264-7083 Office (603)623-8968
The Victory Women of Vision (VWV) is a 501 C 3 nonprofit charitable organization with the mission to encourage, empower, and nurture immigrant and refugee families to thrive by embracing their cultural heritage as they build their new lives. VWV fills a unique niche in the Manchester area as the only ECBO (Ethnic Community Based Organization) focused on family strengthening and led by an African woman. We define family broadly and stress the importance of community.
VWV works at the grassroots level to strengthen newly arrived immigrant and refugee families by assisting them with adapting to the new culture in which they find themselves. VWV offers mutual assistance, crisis intervention, support groups, and training programs that introduce resources, and opportunities for individuals and families to overcome adversity as they settle into their new communities and pursue opportunities to thrive.
Impact
Youth Program
• Since 2019, 117 New American high school students have participated in our Cross-cultural leadership and Leadership beyond boundaries programs.
• 30 students have received driver’s education training.
• 70 youths have participated in summer camp programs or other enrichment programs such as our Photography and Narrative class funded by NH State Council for the Arts.
• All our students are immigrants or refugees coming from Burundi, Rwanda, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Sudan, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Morocco, Egypt, Dominican Republic, and San Salvador.
• 77 Middle school students have participated in our empowerment program since 2020. Most middle school students came from, Rwanda, Congo DRC, Burundi, Honduras, Dominican Republic, and Bosnia.
Young Adult Program
• Since 2020, VWV has served over 50 young adult women and men in different leadership and empowerment programs and courses such as Men’s Leadership, Young Women to Lead Change.
• 24 Young adults received Information Technology Certification training through partnership between VWV and the National Collaboration for Digital Equity.
Elder Program
• Since our Elder program started in 2016, 120 New American elders have received assistance from VWV case managers.
• Services include assistance with applications for Medicaid and Medicare applications, government assistance (SNAP (food stamps), housing assistance, welfare benefits, TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)). Clients are also assisted in applying for help with utility bills, rent and food assistance.
• Partnering with the Mary Gale Fund, VWV has assisted 60 elders obtaining one-time purchases such as beds, mattresses, winter coats and boots etc.
• Since 2016 “Knitting Sisters” has provided a weekly social outlet for 10-20 elders to gather and do charity knitting
• Elders have donated hundreds of hats, scarves and mittens to local schools, head start, homeless shelters, and school children.
• In partnership with NH Department of Health and Human Services, 10 elders participate in a Tai Chi class for fall prevention.
Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program
• With grant funding from NH Department of Justice and Federal Violence Against Women (VAWA) funding for culturally appropriate advocacy, VWV has helped 45 women and men to become survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking.
• Our survivors came from different countries such as Congo DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Social Services
• Since 2020, VWV has assisted over 200 additional New Americans (not included in programs noted above) with obtaining various social services. This has included applying for TANF (food stamps), housing assistance, utility assistance, referrals for immigration assistance, helping with job applications, referrals to legal assistance, interpretation and translation services, and other governmental and social service applications. VWV has also helped clients negotiate with landlords to avoid eviction.
Community Impact
• VWV staff are all New Americans with multiple connections in the community. We pride ourselves in providing services to New Americans from all over the world without consideration for country of origin. This approach has brought together ethnic and cultural groups who might have been adversaries in the past.
• Every year VWV organizes multiple events and social gatherings in which we bring together all communities from the greater Manchester region to share our different cultures, food, dance, and music. These events include International Mothers’ Day, International Women’s Day, International Day of the Girl, Congolese Independence Day and multiple youth showcase events.
