Previous Story
$250K awarded to group that aids Compact migrants
|
Posted on Sep 03 2020
WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs is awarding a $250,000 Technical Assistance Program grant for fiscal year 2020 to support “We are Oceania,” a one-stop service shop in Honolulu that liaises with the government and other organizations in Hawaii to help individuals and families who have migrated from the freely associated states make a smooth transition toward productive and meaningful opportunities in the United States.
“The Compact of Free Association allows for individuals from the freely associated states to travel to the United States to live and to work, but this has also resulted in significant social impacts to jurisdictions like Hawaii and Guam,” said Interior Assistant Secretary, Insular and International Affairs, Douglas W. Domenech. “The support we provide to We are Oceania through the Partners in Development Foundation works toward mitigating those impacts. We believe that by improving communications and helping individuals and families to better themselves, the larger community of Hawaii will be strengthened.”
Partners in Development Foundation, a Hawaii non-profit organization, will receive $250,000 that will be used to support and strengthen the We are Oceania. Since its launch in 2015, We are Oceania has provided support to thousands of new immigrants, primarily from the freely associated states, in areas such as health, education, and employment. We are Oceania was established to help mitigate impacts of legal migration in Hawaii made possible through the Compacts of Free Association and has recently provided important assistance to these communities in mitigating impacts of COVID-19. The Partners in Development Foundation administers funds for the program and continues to support We are Oceania in its efforts to become a stand-alone, federally-recognized, non-profit organization run by Micronesians, serving Micronesian populations.
The OIA Technical Assistance Program is made available each year by Congress to support priorities in the U.S. territories and the freely associated states. For more information on grant assistance provided through OIA, please visit: https://www.doi.gov/oia/financial-assistance. (PR)
