Marquette students develop ReRite Refuge nonprofit to tutor immigrant and refugee children

Photos courtesy of ReRite Refuge

ReRite Refuge is a one year old nonprofit founded by Marquette University students to strengthen skills for immigrant and refugee children without any cost to their parents.

Learning is made fun, fulfilling and accessible with ReRite Refuge. A Milwaukee nonprofit organization established in 2023, ReRite provides opportunities for students of refugee and underprivileged backgrounds to be tutored in math and English by college and high school-age volunteers. The group meets at the Burmese Rohingya Community of Wisconsin (BRCW), 2330 W Scott St, every Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Co-founders Abdullah Noor and Mowaffak Alraiyes are Marquette University students, as are many of the organization’s board of directors.

As a first-generation immigrant from Syria, Alraiyes wanted to establish ReRite Refuge on account of he and his family’s own experience as immigrants. “It was important for me to note my heritage because there’s a lot of refugees from there,” he affirms. “I brought this idea to Abdullah.”

Milwaukee Public School children from kindergarten to sixth grade can enroll in the ReRite program by contacting the Burmese Rohingya Community of Wisconsin.

Noor had been inspired by his mother to give back to his community in such a way. “She’s been working with the refugee community for a while now, and we’ve done foster care at home,” he elaborates about his mother. “One of the humanitarian things that she’s done is teach English and Arabic at a Burmese Rohingyan mosque, and the kids really benefited from that.”

Board member Isaaq Yunus previously attended Marquette but now studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “Coming in and volunteering felt rewarding to me,” he recalls about joining ReRite. “I loved every part of it, seeing these kids’ faces light up when we helped them get a question right.”

ReRite Refuge chose the BRCW as their meeting place for its significance to Burmese Rohingya refugees, who make up a large demographic of the children they tutor.

“It’s fortunate that we were able to get this location,” Noor remarks. “It’s demanded nothing from us in return and the manager is very cooperative.”

Although they started as just a small group of tutors, ReRite Refuge has since amassed about 14 reliable volunteers. In addition to Marquette, they come from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) and various high schools.

“It says a lot about Abdullah and Mowaffak and the original board members as well, that they stuck to the demanding process,” Yunus contends. “Alhumdillah, we’re here now and we’re growing.”

Most children at ReRite attend Milwaukee Public Schools, and they get enrolled in the program via the BRCW. The board members say that there are typically between 30 and 60 kids that come for tutoring every week. Ages primarily range from kindergarten to sixth grade, although ReRite does not turn away kids younger or older. 

Younger students are taught basics such as how to draw letters. Older students are engaged on more of a one-on-one basis with subjects like algebra and precalculus. “Most of the kids walk to school,” Noor notes. “The more we teach them, the more we feel the need to teach them.”

Alraiyes recalls one week when about 65 kids came, and it was the first day at ReRite for many volunteers. Even through the pandemonium, the volunteers adapted quickly and have continued coming back. He comments, “The retainment really showed us how much these volunteers also care.”

The tutors make a concerted effort to be friends with the students rather than simply teachers. “We really believe there’s more that they can learn from us than just math and English,” Noor explains. “Many of these students come from another country, and there’s a lot that they can pick up from us. We really push our volunteers to try and make a connection.”

ReRite Refuge spent this summer gauging what the childrens’ strengths and weaknesses were. They observed many kids excelling in math, prompting the tutors to make worksheets according to grade level. For reading and English activities, ReRite uses a lexile learning system where children may keep track of their progress.

“Some of them at the beginning were not even able to answer word problems in math, but if I gave them the numbers they could do it perfectly fine,” Alraiyes mentions. “It’s an interpretation we’ve had to get down, but over the course of a couple weeks we’ve been able to grasp what the students do best and put it to action.”

After tutoring, the volunteers often take the children out to play soccer for recess. “They’ll call us by our names, high five us and wonder where one of us is if they’re not there,” Alraiyes attests about the kids. “Each one of those smiles will really make you happy.”

Noor concludes, “There’s always going to be more people who need help, so we’re really focused on ensuring that this is an organization that lasts.”

“The only world we want these childrens’ parents to have is one getting their children educated, and we don’t want them to spend a dime,” Yunus reckons.

ReRite Refuge hopes to eventually expand their program beyond Milwaukee while maintaining nonprofit status. They are currently in the process of qualifying for grants and donations in order to offer fun new opportunities and experiences for the children.

Volunteers can sign up for ReRite Refuge here. Follow them on Instagram @reriterefuge for updates.

ReRite co-founders (left) Abdullah Noor and (right) Mowaffak Alraiyes are in the process of seeking grants and donations to expand their nonprofit program to other locations. 

College and high school-age volunteers (back row) are committed to tutoring children on Saturday mornings at the Burmese Rohingya Community of Wisconsin.

When they are finished with tutoring, the volunteers and children play outside for fun, recreation and bonding.