Learn about local residents' journeys of how they settled in the Quad Cities.

Join us for an evening of learning, friendship, and discussion about the different experiences of four individuals who immigrated to the Quad Cities. Hear the stories of Beatrice Tchikala, Mohammad Adel, Kler Soe, and Kakozi Elangi.

By listening to the experiences of our neighbors, we can bring to life a vision of society which is respectful of the rights and dignity of everyone who lives in it regardless of how, why, and when they came to be here.

Before or after the program, view our exhibition, Immigration Then and Now: Finding Refuge in the Quad Cities on the 1st floor gallery.

About the panelists:

Beatrice Tchikala (DRC & Malawi)

Beatrice was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and fled to Malawi in 2011, a country that hosts over 50,000 refugees and asylum seekers. She arrived in the US through World Relief QC in 2022 at the age of 21 and was joined by her family months later. Beatrice worked hard to familiarize herself with the new culture and is now working as a Resettlement Caseworker at World Relief QC.

Mohammad Adel (Afghanistan)

Adel arrived in the US in 2021 as a humanitarian parolee from Afghanistan and initially settled in Fort McCoy military base in Wisconsin. During his time in Afghanistan, Adel worked as an interpreter for the US military. After arriving in the US, Adel spent 6 months on the military base processing applications and completing necessary paperwork to get his SIV immigration status. He resettled to the Quad Cities through World Relief QC and joined the team as a Community Ambassador for the Afghan community. He’s proud of the work he’s doing and grateful that he’s in a safe space now.

Kler Soe (Myanmar & Thailand)

Kler arrived in the US from Thailand in 2007 when she was just 8 years of age. Prior to their resettlement to the US, Kler's parents fled Myanmar due to the ongoing civil war and resettled in Thailand where she and her siblings were born. After spending about 20 years in Thailand refugee camp, Kler’s family was granted the opportunity to come to the US, where they initially settled in Houston, TX. She spent most of her childhood and early young adulthood in Houston and later resettled in the Quad Cities. Kler recently finished school at St. Ambrose University and is one of the many World Relief QC staff members who share similar journey to the families they serve.

Kakozi Elangi (DRC & Bujumbura)

Kakozi was born and raised in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and later relocated in Bujumbura as a refugee. Elangi arrived in the Quad Cities in 2007 at the age of 18. Upon his arrival, he attended Black Hawk College for ESL and transferred to Scott Community College to study Criminal Justice for a short time. He later joined the North Cross Production workforce and worked there for 10 years. Kakozi was later hired by World Relief QC in August 2023 as a Community Ambassador for the Congolese community. He enjoys his job working with different people from all around the world and he feels incredibly blessed with a beautiful family of 6.