Staff Spotlight | Herman Ntuku
Herman Ntuku is a caseworker with CRIS’ Resettlement Program.
“Growing up as a middle-class child in Tanzania was a formative experience for me. My community was rife with poverty, and despite facing our own everyday struggles, my family and I were constantly reminded of how fortunate we were for the relative security we enjoyed. Watching children my age live in completely different circumstances sparked my drive to help others and pushed me to study Public Administration at the University of Dar es Salaam. After graduating, I began my career in the nonprofit sector working at FEMAPO (The Foundation for Environmental Management and Campaign Against Poverty), where I advocated for robust childhood education, the abolition of child labor, and responsible environmental policy in Tanzania. In 2017, I moved to the US to pursue a Master of Public Administration degree at Minnesota State University, where refugee policy became the dominant theme in my papers.
After graduating with my master’s degree in 2020, I joined CRIS as a caseworker to continue my lifelong mission of aiding those in need. In my role, I support refugees during their first 90 days and guide them toward independence and self-sufficiency in their new home. I help clients navigate government agencies and assistance, enroll their children in school, find employment, contact family and friends, receive medical care, connect with community resources, and so much more. My work is challenging—there certainly is never a dull moment—but remarkably rewarding. I am diligent in managing the details for my clients because they rely on me during their most vulnerable moments as new arrivals, and I take this responsibility seriously.
In my time at CRIS, I have come to appreciate the unique atmosphere around the office. The CRIS staff is a welcoming group of people who have smoothed my own transition to the US, and I enjoy learning more about American culture and norms from my colleagues. In return, I share pieces of my Tanzanian background through my work and bring my perspective and experiences to CRIS. It is inspiring to see all of the programs here come together as a force for good, and incredibly fulfilling to see my work’s positive impact on refugee families.”