CWS Indianapolis Office Director, Terri Morris Downs (left), stands with Krish Gajaria (right), holding books that were donated through his nonprofit, Books for Progress.
In Indiana, high school senior Krish Gajaria recently contacted CWS Indianapolis Office Director Terri Morris Downs about donating books to the unaccompanied children in our care through a nonprofit he founded, Books for Progress, whose mission is to increase book accessibility for refugee children within underserved communities. Krish donated more than 200 books to unaccompanied to help them learn English and to feel welcome in the United States. Thank you, Krish and Books for Progress!
Through his collaboration with the CWS Indianapolis office, Krish partnered with another student to develop a literature review focused on the importance of access to education in a child’s home language for refugee children. This paper explores how maintaining the home language can promote cognitive development, strengthen identity and support emotional well-being.