The CO Africa Project, based in Nairobi, Kenya, serves refugees throughout the continent. In the past 4 years alone over 25,000 refugees from 29 countries have attended a CO course.
Training takes place wherever refugees are processed.
The orientation took place at 24 refugee processing sites in 14 countries of first asylum throughout the continent, including Kenya, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Benin, Guinea Conakry, Djibouti, Tanzania, Uganda, the Gambia, Senegal, Nigeria, and Eritrea. The primary objectives of the CO Africa Project are to provide refugees with accurate information about life in the U.S. and the resettlement process to help refugees develop realistic expectations about resettlement to assist refugees in developing the awareness and skills necessary for successful adaptation to their new society to address refugees' concerns and questions before their departure for the United States The CO program is founded on the belief that immigrants coming to a new country have a far better chance of integrating successfully if they acquire information concerning the receiving country before arrival. New information and skills can curtail unrealistic expectations and reduce adjustment problems later on. In addition, it is the experience of the CO staff that successful resettlement depends on establishing realistic time frames for accomplishing those goals based on accurate information about resettlement and integration into U.S. society. Refugees feel empowered by participation in the orientation process as they express their learning needs and take an active role in the acquisition of new skills.