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The IRIS Connection

Iowa Resource for International Service

UUs Working for International Understanding
One Home at a Time

What is IRIS?

IRIS is a non-profit, non-religious organization whose mission is to promote international education, development and peace through rural initiatives. Its founder and president is Robert Anderson, former Lieutenant Governor of Iowa and former executive director of the Iowa Peace Institute.

What is the connection to the Fellowship?

IRIS, headed by UUFA members Judy and Bob Anderson, approached the Fellowship because our mission, philosophy and goals dovetail with those of IRIS. They are frequently looking for people willing to host professional visitors from foreign countries for a few weeks. Funds provided by the US State Department for the hosts go as donations to the Fellowship.

In 2003, IRIS became the first organization in the Midwest to receive U.S. State Department approval to bring Nigerian high school students to the United States as exchange students. The students come from states in Northwest Nigeria, and are predominantly Muslim. They also needed host families.

For more information contact the IRIS office.

IRIS urges UU collaboration and individual volunteers

(Bob Anderson's article from the August 2006 UU newsletter)

"Sometimes I feel very depress and I cry all day. At the beginning I tried to talk with some friends about that, but it was not helpful for me ...I cannot tell my husband too, because he has to concentrate on his studies ..." The wife of an Asian student attending ISU wrote this during a planning meeting sponsored by IRIS. The Iowa Resource for International Service (IRIS) has been actively involved with international exchanges and other educational programs for more than 10 years. Our mission is to promote international education, development, and peace through rural initiatives. Our programs are funded by the State Department, but all of our programs are made possible only because of the generous contributions of Iowans.

Over the last few months, however, we have been considering other ways to promote our mission here in Ames. One critical need involves the families of international students attending Iowa State University. ISU brings nearly 2,000 international students to its campus each year, and about 400 of those students are accompanied by a spouse and children. In typical cases, well-educated, professional wives are left stranded to cope with children, new food, a new culture, and often a new language with little money. They have traded their secure home environment to be with their husbands, and, according to a recent study by Natalia Juan-Miguez, they are feeling frustrated, bored, hopeless, homesick, lonely, and indifferent. IRIS will be developing programs and seeking volunteers to help in several capacities: for example, providing transportation, mentoring, establishing a child care cooperative, serving as conversation buddies, or serving as family mentors.

I believe that we all will benefit if we encourage international students to become involved in the UU Fellowship. If you would like to join us in creative peacemaking, please visit our Web site at www.IRIS-Center.org or contact IRIS at 515-292-7103 or bob@iris-center.org.