Following up on fall training offered to members of OTOC, the Institute for Public Leadership of Omaha expanded its offerings this year to include civic academies that deal specifically with the interests of refugee women. Women from Burundi, Myanmar, Congo and South Sudan gathered for four sessions that covered local governance in America and how school districts work. Says Ndaizeye Immaculee: "By coming to Refugee Women Leadership I learned how the levels of government work in Omaha and Nebraska...."

In one instance, conversation in the civic academy revealed that immigrant women are often not covered by their husband's health insurance policy (nor by CHIP which covers their children) and thus do not have access to affordable care. Subsequent sessions have been scheduled through the Spring to cover areas like healthcare access, domestic violence, housing and consumer credit.