Hundreds of refugees each year find a new home, earn second chance by coming to Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- They've survived violence, homelessness and being separated from their family.

The city of Louisville has given hundreds of refugees a new home and a second chance.

"I was born in Burundi, which is a country in Central East Africa right below Rwanda," former refugee Amos Izerimana said.

The first 12 years of Izerimana's life were no child's play.

"My family fled to Tanzania when I was one to refugee camp. And so I spent my first 12 years in a refugee camp," Izerimana said.

And says, the bad days always outnumbered the good.

"Every day was a rough day, Izerimana said. "And I said that because you didn't know what tomorrow looked like."

In 2007, his family left Tanzania and moved to Louisville but he didn't speak any English. But despite the language barrier and living in a new country, both Amos and his family assimilated.

"We are a family of 14," Izerimana said. "I have 11 siblings and two of my parents. So fortunately, we're all able to come at the same time."

Colin Triplett is with Catholic Charities of Louisville, a refugee resettlement agency, and met Izerimana about five years ago.

"After a refugee goes through that multitude of checks, and they wait in a refugee camp to be resettled, we assure them and make sure that we're able and to welcome them," Triplett said.

According to the U.S. State Department, in 2023, Louisville was third behind Houston and Atlanta for the number of refugees coming to the city.

"At Catholic Charities we welcome around 700 or so people a year," Triplett said.

Triplett said there are also hundreds of success stories.

louisville refugees.jpeg — The Catholic Charities Center welcomes hundreds of refugees to Louisville every year. (WDRB photo)

"I've been working here for some time, and it's really amazing to maybe go to the hospital and run into somebody that's doing their residency, and I'm like, 'oh, yeah, I remember when I helped pick you up at the airport,'" Triplett said.

Izerimana became a U.S. citizen in 2014 and continued to pursue the American Dream.

"I went to Wagner High School and went to Berea College and later on, went to Boston for graduate school, and then came back to Louisville," Izerimana said.

He's now the director for the Office for Immigrant Affairs. Izerimana found his passion and career working for the city.

"I often say that the U.S. gave me an opportunity to hope and opportunity to dream," Izerimana said. "And that's been very true in the way that my life has turned out."

With hundreds of refugees coming every year, Catholic Charities of Louisville is always in need of volunteers and donations.

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