The Tiyya Foundation

With a name derived from the Oromo word for “My Dear” or “My Love,” the Tiyya Foundation [Tiyya] is a grassroots 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to providing refugees of all backgrounds with the basic material, educational, and emotional support required to integrate into the communities of Orange County, California.

Tiyya currently assists more than 575 refugees from 162 families, many of them escaping persecution in Central America, Burma, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Somalia.

Tiyya uses a holistic approach to provide transitional assistance for families with the goal of empowering refugee youth to overcome the obstacles associated with social integration by building social support systems among refugee youth and working with parents to provide a healthy environment for their children.