Launching “The Journey” — A Community Newsletter That Deepened Engagement and Visibility

Case Study: Launching “The Journey” — A Community Newsletter That Deepened Engagement and Center Visibility
Client: Refugee Women’s Center, Inc.
Website: https://www.rwcct.org/
Communications Lead: Maya Parkins, Content Creator
Project Period: September 2024 – January 2025
Publication: The Journey, Vol. 1, Issue 1, November 2024
Location: Hartford, Connecticut

Background
In 2023, the Refugee Women’s Center (RWC) was founded to empower Afghan refugee women resettled in the U.S. through service and self-sufficiency. While RWC had launched impactful programs like financial literacy training and a social enterprise sewing initiative, it lacked a formal vehicle to communicate these successes and build sustained relationships with donors, volunteers, and community stakeholders.

Recognizing this gap, Maya Parkins was brought on as Content Creator to develop a foundational communications and marketing strategy—including the creation of RWC’s first-ever newsletter.

The Challenge
Despite meaningful on-the-ground programming, the Center faced three key challenges:

Low awareness among potential supporters and partners.

Limited storytelling that reflected the impact of its work.

A lack of regular, branded outreach that could foster ongoing engagement and trust.

Strategy
Maya Parkins developed a comprehensive communications plan centered on identifying target audiences (donors, volunteers, local partners) and defining key messaging pillars: resilience, empowerment, transparency, and gratitude.

The centerpiece of this plan was the launch of The Journey, a quarterly digital newsletter designed to:

Highlight program successes.

Center the voices and stories of Afghan women served by the Center.

Recognize donors and volunteers.

Build a deeper emotional connection with readers through real-life narratives.

Execution
Newsletter Content Strategy:

Page 1: Contextual background on Afghan refugee resettlement in the U.S.

Page 2: Introduction to the Refugee Women’s Center’s mission and programming.

Pages 3–5: Personal stories of participants like Saleha Noorzai and Mrs. Hotek—women who turned trauma into triumph through entrepreneurship, sewing, and education.

Page 6: A donor and volunteer appreciation message in multiple languages, reinforcing inclusivity and gratitude.

Additional Tactics:

Designed visually engaging layouts using photography from Unsplash.

Shared newsletters via email to donor lists, local NGOs, and educational institutions.

Repurposed story excerpts for social media to drive newsletter subscriptions.

Results
Though this was the Center’s inaugural issue, the impact was immediate and measurable:

38% increase in donor email engagement within the first month of release.

13 new volunteers signed up after the newsletter circulated through local networks.

Afghan women featured in the newsletter reported feeling “seen, supported, and motivated.”

The Center began receiving inquiries from nearby refugee-focused nonprofits about potential partnerships.

Key Learnings
Human-centered storytelling builds trust: Personal narratives were the most-read and most-shared pieces.

Visuals matter: High-quality images and clean formatting made the content more accessible and compelling.

Gratitude is powerful: The thank-you message resonated deeply and inspired repeat support.

Conclusion
Maya Parkins' strategic development and launch of The Journey positioned the Refugee Women’s Center as not only a service provider, but a storytelling force. By weaving together policy context, community voices, and calls to action, the newsletter became a vital tool in amplifying RWC’s mission—and in ensuring Afghan refugee women are not only resettled, but empowered.