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World Food Day Offers a Chance to Welcome Refugees Into Communities

By U.S. News & World Report

The Syrian civil war continues to highlight one of the most tragic dimensions of warfare: using food as a weapon. More than 80 percent of deliveries of food and humanitarian aid to Aleppo were blocked as of the end of September by Syrian forces, a practice that has become part of the tactics used by Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime since the inception of the conflict in 2011. The breakdown of the most recent ceasefire there underscores Assad’s commitment to withholding food supplies to harm innocent civilians. Photos from Aleppo document signs in Arabic which state “Kneel or Starve.”

Food may be a weapon of war, but cooking traditional foods may be one of the best ways to fight back, helping to heal and survive. Those who have made the perilous journey away from Syria have also discovered that the very basis of survival — food — can also become a powerful tool to build a new life. The kitchen can help refugees find economic opportunities and freedom. And in resettlement, food becomes a vehicle for what they left behind and what they are entering in their newfound homes in the Europe and beyond.

Chefs in Europe, Canada and the United States are finding ways to use food as a tool of reconciliation. Projects started by local restaurants and civil society organizations are using the kitchen as a place where language is less important than skills that know no borders. A survey of the projects in what some have called “social gastronomy” — the use of food for political action and doing good — is another dimension of food that is becoming a tool of refugee reintegration and inclusion.

Recent surveys of programs that have grown out of the worst refugee crisis since World War II illustrate the salience of food as a tool for building peace. These programs are not limited only to Syrian refugees, but also to Libyans, Yemenis and others who find themselves in new lands without any connection to home except through the immigrant kitchens.

A bold effort to shape the future is now what is needed. And with a global shortage of trained kitchen personnel around the world, the hospitality industry continues to expand. Food and culinary skills are portable, yet powerful tools for creating livelihoods and preserving culture.

Take the case of the programs in Germany. Refugee Canteen, based in Hamburg, is a project that was started last year to train newly-arrived Syrians in culinary skills. The goal is to help people move beyond low-paying jobs in the kitchen to real income-generating positions. A training academy and pop-up restaurants help highlight the skills of these students.

Or consider the situation in Jordan. According to the nongovernmental organization Mercy Corps, one in 13 people in Jordan is a Syrian refugee. The Zaatari Refugee Camp is one of the largest cities in Jordan, with food stores and restaurants. Now plans are underway to begin training young men and women in culinary skills to help them find jobs in the region’s growing hospitality industry. Food now becomes of means to create new social capital and move people to a new life.

In Paris in late June, a Refugee Food Festival connected refugees with local restaurants that opened their kitchens to allow new arrivals to prepare local foods. One Syrian chef who made the trek from Syria to Turkey to Italy to France was amazed to be using his skills so quickly in Paris. Commensality, or coming around the table, is one of the oldest ways to bring people together in a manner that is neither confrontational or threatening. Allowing refugees space to use their existing skills and connect with local communities helps put a human face on the refugee crisis. It may also help to diminish the nativism being peddled by some leaders who prefer to vilify newcomers.

Or consider a project started in 2013: Give Something Back to Berlin. This social platform network brings refugees together with members of communities, using food as a means of integration. Started by a young Swede, it helps bring volunteers together with refugees to provide all kinds of training and new opportunities to live and work. As well as providing a livelihood, the kitchen is a path to social integration.

Turkey, with more than 2.5 million Syrians, is also using food to bring communities together. Syrian entrepreneurs are reopening their bakeries and food stores to service this growing population, while recreating the tastes of home. For example, Salloura, a bakery that the war forced out of Aleppo, is now operating in Istanbul. It continues to remind people of what they left behind by serving daily the growing number of refugees.

These lessons are also felt in the United States. Although we have received far fewer Syrian refugees, food can bridge the divide in many cities unfamiliar with the background of the conflict. Take the case of Mahmoud Al Haza, a Syrian resettled in Memphis, Tennessee by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He was operating a restaurant until he was forced to flee his country. Now he is cooking out of his home and will soon be the head chef of his own new restaurant in Memphis, thanks to people in the community who have helped secure space and offered other support.

But the United States can do more for those who have made it to our shores. World Food Day on Oct. 16 should be a call to action. Food can help reduce tensions between newly arrived refugees and Americans wary of the conflict in Syria and encouraged by the rhetoric of political candidates like Donald Trump. Coming together around the table does help build new lives.

Opinion polls in the United States show that working as a chef is considered one of the most trusted professions, since eating food prepared by a stranger requires people to put their lives into someone else’s hands. This may be one of the powerful means of helping people. By patronizing refugee kitchens and using food to spark dialogue, we continue to build our national brand: e pluribus unum. Making of many, one.

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World Food Day Offers a Chance to Welcome Refugees Into Communities originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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