Rochester's Unrelenting Dedication to Somali Bantu Integration

 
In our Somali Bantu Community Development Project, we have a term for the one or two people in certain ethnic communities that work tirelessly (and usually on a voluntary basis) to solve everyone's problems.  We call them "operators."  Well, Jama Liban is an operator in Rochester, New York's Somali Bantu refugee community.  Here he is, above, in the Somali Bantu Community of Rochester's office.
 
Jama, like most refugee community operators, answers requests for bridging services at all hours of the day and night.  He drives his personal vehicle to get community members to their doctor's appointments.  He reads food stamp compliance paperwork.  He helps community members interview for jobs.  Jama speaks English and he knows how to access essential services.  Furthermore, his fellow community members trust him.  Jama is an operator.
 
I point this out, using Jama as an example, because ISED Solutions seeks out operators when strengthening resettled ethnic communities.  While elders are important for broad agreements and general approval, it is the operators who advance entire communities into society and stave off household insecurity.  The refugee service community must look to these operators not only as social service peers (albeit informal), but also as catalysts for ECBO and social service program development.
 
Keep up the hard work, Jama.  Your dedication to your community is impressive!