The Bilingual, Immigrant, and Refugee Services team partnered with Arvest Bank to provide a series of financial education workshops in response to the need within the Afghan refugee community in Tulsa Public Schools.

The Bilingual, Immigrant, and Refugee Services team includes two refugee navigators and two refugee liaisons, who are Afghan refugee themselves and aware of the financial challenges that our Afghan families face. Arvest Bank worked with the team over the summer to collect feedback and adapt the content of their existent curriculum to meet the unique needs of these families. The workshops are led by Arvest Bank and co-facilitated by one of our refugee navigators who has been trained on the topic and provides the information in the family’s native language, Pashto or Dari. 

Welcomers International has also stepped in to support this project. The organization has helped the team address barriers that would have prevented some families from attending the workshops. The organization has been supporting with volunteers to provide transportation, childcare, and snacks.

The Financial Education workshops have been divided in four sessions, which began in October:

• Session 1: Introduction to Financial Services 
• Session 2: Budget 
• Session 3: Know our Credit/Build your Credit
• Session 4: Get to know a Financial Institution – Tour 

The third session will be held on January 26 from 5-7pm at the Language and Cultural Services offices building located at Remington.

"We are grateful for the support that we are receiving from Arvest Bank and Welcomers International," said Maricarmen Mitchell, Bilingual, Immigrant, and Refugee Services Manager. "Their partnership allows us to better serve the Afghan students and families in Tulsa Public Schools."

Click here for more information about Language and Cultural Services at Tulsa Public Schools.