Vehicles drive by a near empty intersection.
ON SCREEN TEXT: Syracuse, New York
A black man in a long-sleeved yellow shirt walks down the street. He interviews in front of a brick building.
ON SCREEN TEXT: Espoir Kimaze
Refugee from Uganda
ESPOIR: My name is Espoir. I moved to the United States, Syracuse when I was twenty-three years-old, that was 2019. I came with my mom, my five sisters, and two brothers.
White text appears against a blue background.
ON SCREEN TEXT: “I came from Uganda – a refugee camp
called Kyaka II Refugee Resettlement.”
A photo of Espoir standing in a field appears. A few small stone buildings sit behind him. He looks in the camera, wearing shorts and a green jacket.
ESPOIR: I came from Uganda – a refugee camp called Kyaka II Refugee Resettlement. The healthcare in Uganda is not as same as here. Cause like, you don’t have like, these normal appointments. You only go and meet the doctor whenever you’re sick or whenever you don’t feel well.
Another photo appears of him resting against a wall in a leather jacket. He rests his fingers on his chin, as if thinking about something.
Espoir interviews in a room with a bookshelf.
ESPOIR: Every step I took with the help of Catholic Charities.
A sign is attached above glass doors on a brick wall: “Creating hope, Transforming lives. Catholic Charities Diocese of Syracuse Onodaga County, Northside C.Y.O.”
A woman with grey hair and eyeglasses sits on a couch.
ON SCREEN TEXT: Felicia Castricone
Refugee Resettlement Services,
Catholic Charities of Onondaga County
FELICIA: Catholic Charities of Onondaga County, the mission of the organization is really to serve the most vulnerable populations in the community and to help them get to their best potential.
A group of four women sit at a round table. One of them types on a laptop.
FELICIA: When we have been resettling refugees what we were finding is that healthcare was one of the things they found the most difficult to navigate.
Blue text appears over a white background.
ON SCREEN TEXT: Catholic Charities of Onondaga county
received a $174,000 UnitedHealthcare grant
to provide direct support to refugees like Espoir.
ON SCREEN TEXT: Health navigators and case managers help
them access medical care – and beyond.
A photo shows Espoir in a graduation outfit, holding his cap in the air.
ESPOIR: They helped us with like, getting access to healthcare system, getting access to education, getting access to everything that a person needs in life.
Blue text appears against a white background.
ON SCREEN TEXT: Three years later, Espoir is now a
navigator – connecting refugees with
the same resources he received.
The same photo of Espoir in the green jacket appears.
FELICIA: With Espoir he has lived the refugee experience. He’s been a refugee. He lived in a refugee camp for a very long time. He had lived their experience, so they trust him.
ESPOIR: Sometimes they feel shy of some medical stuff they can’t even talk to doctors. But when they talk to us, they are open, and they don’t fear anything. So they tell us everything so that we can show the doctors.
In a small office room, Espoir sits on couches with other refugees, chatting.
FELICIA: This grant has enabled us to work so much more closely with the hospitals in the area and with the doctors. And really sort of team with them, partner with them, as we all work together to address the needs of the refugees. So, it’s just been an amazing experience.
A woman in a blue Upstate Medical shirt sits at a table with four other people. Then, she interviews against a wood paneled wall.
ON SCREEN TEXT: Dr. Andrea Shaw
SUNY Upstate Medical University
ANDREA: In primary care it’s about building that relationship. Because I’ve never met a patient who’s come from a refugee camp who’s seen the same doctor regularly over time. Or who’s had the opportunity to build understanding of what a healthcare team could offer them. But we try to do our best to support all those aspects of health that they might bring to the table.
FELICIA: What’s really gratifying is when you see someone who came here not understanding the healthcare system at all. But now knows how to call and make an appointment. They know how to go and pick up their prescription. They know what to do if their Medicaid expires or their health insurance expires, they know who to talk to, they know how to address that.
ESPOIR: Every day will make a difference. The kids you are helping today, are the kids that will help the next generations of refugees.
Our view moves along a brick wall until we meet Espoir, gazing confidently into the lens.
A blue u-shaped logo appears against a white background, followed by text.
ON SCREEN TEXT: UnitedHealthcare