Refugee Women Rising (RWR) is an Omaha-based, refugee service provider that works to fill gaps refugee women and their families deem necessary. Our work touches refugee women at various life stages after resettlement — whether they are newly arrived or a longtime resident seeking advancement.

Started as a grassroots collective of community members (first known as Benson Area Refugee Task Force) we began by helping refugees with immediate unmet needs, including household and clothing donations and English as a Second Language classes. We quickly recognized we needed to address the lack of access, transportation, ongoing language skills, social connection, and opportunity that refugee women face as they integrate into our community. In 2018, we formalized our approach and became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

The creation of our HomeDish dinner project was the cornerstone of our outreach. It was based on mutually beneficial relationship-building between refugee cooks and guests through conversation and food. Refugee cooks earned income and learned practical skills; guests engaged in conversation with cooks over a shared meal, breaking cultural stereotypes.