Naima Farah and Suleka Burale have watched the children scamper around the grounds of Chancellor Manor -- an apartment complex west of Burnsville Center that is home to many Somali immigrants -- and worried about what would happen if the children stumbled and fell.
Now, they know what to do.
Farah, 24, and Burale, 26, were among the first group of women at the apartment complex to take American Red Cross classes in first aid and CPR.
"We had fun and we learned so much," Burale said.
"There's a lot of children here," Farah said. "I'm glad that we know we can make a difference."
The training offered this fall was made possible by the Virtual Immigrant Resource Center, a program launched in 2008 by Community Action Council to connect new arrivals to services and help them navigate American life.
The Virtual Immigrant Resource Center relies on leaders from the immigrant communities -- often women -- to coordinate activities in places that are familiar to and comfortable for their peers. The idea, said Meg Hesch, New American Services Coordinator for Community Action Council, is to give "natural leaders" the resources to help their communities. Sometimes it's as simple as helping someone get a library card. Other times, it's about helping people build skills for self-sufficiency.
"To have women who know first aid and CPR is awesome," Hesch said. "The long-range thinking is we're building job skills."
As Dakota County's population has grown, so has the number of immigrants in the area. At the beginning of the decade, 18,049 Dakota County residents reported that they were born in a foreign country. By 2006, that number was 29,159. More than 20 percent of students in schools throughout the county are minorities.
While immigrants are sometimes intimidated by or unaware of organized social services, bringing the services to familiar places has drawn more than 300 people to the Virtual Immigrant Resource Center programs. Groups have sprung up in churches frequented by Hispanic immigrants, at a trailer park and at Chancellor Manor.
And requests from immigrants at each site determine the programs offered at each location. "Each site has its own flavor," Hesch said. "It has an organic feel to it."
At Risen Savior Catholic Church, leader Carmen Lima has organized chats, or "charlas," on a variety of topics, including health insurance and higher education. In each case, people had a chance to follow up, making appointments with low-cost health insurance companies or touring the campus of Dakota County Technical College.
Lima, an immigrant from Mexico, said she was eager to help out with Virtual Immigrant Resource Center programs because she remembers what it was like when she first arrived in the United States. She didn't know where to turn to learn basic information about American life.
"What happens is, people are scared," she said. "When they hear that we're having a chat [at a familiar gathering place], they feel safe. They're not alone. We're not going to harm them."
Dakota County recently renewed its support of the Virtual Immigrant Resource Center, pledging $43,028 for 2010. Community Action Council plans to expand the program, increasing the number of sites and reaching out to different immigrant groups, particularly people from Africa and from Russia.
At Chancellor Manor, Farah and Burale are excited about the efforts so far, especially the programs for children. Homework help sessions and Boy Scout activities are well attended.
"These kids, they want to learn so much," Burale said. "They're proud of themselves."
But both women are already thinking of more things that can be done: sports teams for the kids, child care programs to give adults time to pursue education, and domestic violence prevention programs.
"I've learned so much, I don't know where to begin," Farah said. "Everything is possible."
Katie Humphrey • 952-882-9056
