Growing turmoil in Kosovo and other areas of the world has triggered a new influx of refugees into Iowa.

Augustus Lartius, president of the International Group for Humanity, said the group is busy trying to help refugees adjust to life in America.

Lartius said the organization is coming up with different ways of accumulating funds to help refugees, particularly those from Kosovo, get settled.

Lartius described the group’s efforts as a “share plan.”

“That means that we are sharing our contributions financially as well as voluntarily in the investment of somebody’s life and are trying to give him or her a second chance,” he said.

“This means that the value of this shareholder’s stock is limited to value of the heart as they help others,” he said. “There is no monetary value — it’s all spiritual.”

Sangeeta Kaul, vice president of the International Group for Humanity, said the main objective of the group is to give refugees a fresh beginning.

“Right now, we have shifted our objective of the group to helping everyone who needs help. We are trying to help them get a second start in life,” said.

Lartius said the group has different projects planned to assist in raising funds.

“The first program that we have undertaken is an Indian dinner with international cultural entertainment,” he said.

The dinner will be held on July 10 at the Collegiate United Methodist Church in Ames. It will cost $7 for adults and $5 for children.

The funds from the dinner will be put toward assisting refugees from Kosovo, Lartius said.

Funds will go to place the refugees in homes in Boone and Ames and to help them find jobs and transportation.

“We will also try to resolve their language barrier,” he said. “If they have children, we will try to help them with their schooling, and we will try to help them get acquainted with the rules and regulations of the land.”

Lartius said the Bureau of Refugee Services in Des Moines has arranged for sponsors to assist the refugees upon their arrival.

“That’s who they stay with until homes are found for them,” he said. “Once we sponsor them, we are responsible for them for 90 days. After that, even though we don’t have any responsibility, we will continue helping them.”

However, Lartius said it has not been determined by the state how many refugees the group is supposed to expect.

Lartius said there was no Kosovar refugees staying in Ames yet, but there was one family in Story County already. However, there numerous non-Kosovar refugees already living in the area.

“In Story County, there are roughly about 109 refugees, but they are not from Kosovo. We are not sure what they are, but they are probably mostly Bosnians,” he said.

Lartius said it is important that Iowans understand the difficulties the refugees have experienced and the culture shock they face.

“The other thing that is very important is that these people are coming from foreign lands, and while some people would welcome them, the others perhaps may not pay any attention because they may not know much about Kosovo,” he said.

One of the group’s aims is to help increase communication between the refugees and the local population, Lartius said.

“That is what we are trying to do with these small gatherings,” he said. “We are trying to give Iowans an opportunity to understand what is going on in Kosovo and why they are coming here.

“We are trying to communicate to the public and educate them so they will understand the amount of pain and suffering these people are undergoing,” Lartius said.

Kaul said she felt Ames in particular has a definite advantage in being able to help the refugees.

“What I personally feel is that there is an international community over here basically because of Iowa State,” she said. “We have different types of people speaking different languages and a good intermingling of cultures.”

The group also is prepared to deal with the sensitive emotional situation the Kosovar refugees are in, Kaul said.

“It is a war-torn country, and that will definitely have a psychological impact on the refugees,” she said. “We are bracing ourselves so that we can be ready should anyone need any special attention in that regard.”

Lartius said there are many things community members can do to assist the refugees.

“The most important thing is to help them learn how to deal with day-to-day functions here,” he said.

However, Lartius said communities also should be prepared that some refugees may be looking at their stay in the United States as a temporary situation rather than a permanent one.

“They may or they may not want to stay here forever, and we realize that,” he said. “Americans who are receiving and welcoming them will have to understand that they might just simply be our guests for a while.

“When they return, it is important that they take back the American heritage of helping and assisting needy people.”