When Jennifer Doran'98 was ten years old, her family had a young refugee child from Vietnam live with them for a year. That experience piqued her interest in refugee issues and Doran went on after Haverford to take a job with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a humanitarian organization that provides services to refugees in 16 U.S. cities and over 25 countries around the world.
Doran, who has been hailed as an innovative“champion of children and young people” was honored with the 2010 Sarlo Foundation Award for Distinguished Humanitarian Service for her work with the IRC. Doran, manager of youth and family services at IRC in Phoenix, Arizona, began working for the organization in 2002, identifying areas of need that were not funded. She helped launch three new programs focused on finance, micro-lending and asset management, so that refugees could learn about the United States financial system, start their own businesses, and purchase homes.
This success helped her realize that“program growth isn't just a passion, but a strength” of hers, and she began to work on developing health programming.“People assume that refugees are safe because they are in the U.S. and will be able to access health care because it exists here,” Doran says.“But many refugees don't get good health care after arriving in America.” Many, she says, suffer from chronic conditions, poor nutrition, and inadequate access to health information. With this in mind, Doran helped to create or reinvigorate a number of programs.
She was instrumental in the success of the Public Health Insurance Outreach Project, which works to keep refugees eligible for public health insurance. She also increased funding for a behavioral health program that aids refugees who suffer from mental health issues resulting from war trauma and acculturation, and worked with a torture survivors group which provides intensive case management for refugees and asylum seekers who have endured politically-motivated torture.
Doran engineered the International Maternity Program in partnership with a local hospital to teach women about the importance of seeking early prenatal care, increase health literacy, and build trust with doctors; along with a Medical Care Coordination Program, which helps mothers of young children learn the importance of preventative care, inlcuding how to talk to doctors through simulations. Additionally, Doran launched the Emergency Preparedness Program, helping refugees learn how to prepare for emergencies, such as a flu epidemic or a natural disaster, as well as assisting the County Department of Public Health to develop a plan for reaching the population in the event of an emergency.
So far, she has raised six million dollars for her IRC projects and has assisted in raising several million dollars for others' projects.
Doran's work has truly changed the face of refugee health care and has improved the lives of countless individuals. From that refugee child from Vietnam to the displaced children of Burma, Bhutan, and Iraq, Doran continues to touch lives.
