Creating a World Where Refugees Feel Welcomed, Empowered, and Embraced
By Cady Susswein
Sudanese mother comforting her child. Photo: Wadi Lissa/Unsplash
There are more than 110 million refugees and displaced people worldwide – the highest number on record since the United Nations’ 1951 Refugee Convention. That’s 110 million individuals, more than a third of which are children, with unique and usually traumatic stories. But that number – roughly the population of Egypt – becomes so easily dehumanizing, too large to imagine. GlobalWA members are doing incredible work to humanize and protect refugees along their journey, assisting them with basic necessities and psychosocial support from the start and eventually helping them create new lives for themselves around the world. These are some of their stories.
Safe Passage with Children
The beginning of a refugee’s journey can be the hardest. Seven-months pregnant with an 18-month-old son, Ana resisted the thought of leaving her home in Ukraine until one day two rockets exploded over her town, and she felt like she had no choice. She left her husband to defend the city and fled to Moldova, where she found herself in a church. The pastor did not refer to her as a refugee, but instead a guest. With support from World Vision, which helps 3.5 million people like Ana every year, she has hope for her future.
While Ana might not have encountered one of UNICEF’s Blue Dot Centers, they assist displaced children and families at dozens of transit routes out Ukraine in a joint effort with Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), local authorities, and other partners. Up to 1,000 people use these centers every day in neighboring countries like Moldova, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Belarus to access drinking water and hygiene supplies, health care, psychosocial support, legal information, and more. At each Blue Dot center, there’s a play area where kids can be kids.
Similarly, ChildFund established three child-friendly spaces at Palorinya Refugee Settlement in Uganda, which hosts the largest refugee population in Africa with refugees heavily from the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Here children receive basic education and participate in trauma-informed activities designed to facilitate healing. Children can play while their families are working to rebuild their lives. Other ChildFund programs around the world help address the root cause of violence and poverty to prevent refugee scenarios, such as their Protected Passage, which aims to protect children along migratory routes.
Shelter and Health
Since 2017, over 700,000 Rohingya refugees have escaped ethnic and religious conflict in Myanmar and made it to Cox’s Bazar camps in Bangladesh. The Spreeha Foundation runs the health clinic in the camp, providing primary care and maternal and pediatric health services, as well as a team of health educators who train the community on basic health and hygiene issues. The foundation also provides child friendly centers to provide basic education, social and emotional support, and just plain fun.
As thousands of Venezuelans cross the border into Colombia fleeing their country’s economic and humanitarian crisis, Americares works to meet their health needs in 10 health centers and mobile clinics throughout the country, alleviating strain on the local health system. Americares responds to more than 30 crises around the world each year, establishing long-term recovery projects in other conflict areas such as Gaza, Syria, and South Sudan.
Adequate living standards is one of the most basic human rights. In its 13th year of conflict, the shelters that many displaced Syrians live in need critical repairs. Working in the country for the last decade, Global Communities has helped upwards of 480,000 Syrians rehabilitate their accommodations to maintain their privacy and dignity. Also working in response to the crisis in Syria, Concern Worldwide US has rehabilitated 45,000 shelters for Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
Relocation and Resettlement
While there’s a common misconception that refugees are flooding into places like North America and Europe, more than 75% of refugees are hosted by poor, low, and middle-income – usually neighboring – countries. More than half of these refugees are currently from Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine with major conflicts in Gaza, Myanmar, and South Sudan to name just a few. But for the small percentage of those that do make their way to the United States, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has partnered with the U.S. State Department to help everyday Americans sponsor refugees through the Welcome Corps.
Take the Sebatware family for instance. They lived in a refugee camp for 20 years after escaping conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. With the help of IRC, they happily resettled in Phoenix, Arizona, where they were greeted by their Welcome Corps sponsors – a group of least five adult American citizens or permanent residents. To apply, the group submitted a welcome plan, passed background checks, and committed to raising $2,425 for each family member and supporting their integration for at least 90 days while they got their feet on the ground. The Sebatware’s sponsors helped them find housing, jobs, school for the kids, learn English, and apply for necessary documentation in their new life.
In Afghanistan, Operation Snow Leopard has evacuated 1,800 high-risk Afghans since the Taliban retook control of the country in August 2021. Their goal is to evacuate at least 700 more this year with over 4,000 active cases, including women and human rights leaders, children, journalists, and other vulnerable minorities. They work with refugees from evacuation to resettlement. Like Operation Snow Leopard, Jewish Humanitarian Response launched as a reaction to the Taliban takeover as a joint venture between the Aleph Institute and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights. They have evacuated 1,500 Afghans, 500 of which have now made it to their final destination.
Oxfam America helps displaced people not only with immediate needs for clean water, shelter, food, and work, but also advocates for their long-term wellbeing. They engage with governments to find solutions to conflict and advocates for policies and services that refugees need in host countries. Kadidiatou Barry is a mother of four from Burkina Faso. After escaping from the violence of armed groups with only what she could carry, a family hosted hers in the village of Sera, still in Burkina Faso but 70 kilometers away from the violence. With a cash grant from Oxfam and partners, she was able to start a new business, find her own home, and get back on her feet.
Resilience
As part of its their mission to enrich the communities in which they serve, Starbucks has committed itself to employing refugees around the world, hiring more than 5,500 in the last six years. While their original goal was 10,000 in five years, they are working with partners to continue to crack away at the problem, especially in Europe. To do this, Starbucks works with International Rescue Committee (IRC), the Refugee Council in the UK, and other NGOs including Tent, an organization dedicated to matching refugees with corporations, in the U.S, France, and UK.
Working with Starbucks, the IRC assisted Gift Handson, a Zimbabwean native and asylum seeker, with resettlement and transition services to the United States. He participated in IRC’s economic empowerment program called Hospitality Link, which gave him the skills he needed to land a job with Starbucks as a shift supervisor in Silver Spring, MD. He’s hopeful about his future and dreams of one day open a café or an African restaurant. His story is unique but not alone with others like Asma and Tam, who rebuilt their lives with this program.
Last year, Amazon also pledged to hire 5,000 refugees in Europe by 2026, working with the same organization Tent to support immigration and legal fees as well as mentoring and training. Amazon Web Services is also providing IT training to 10,000 Ukrainians around the world.
While refugee organizations and governments offer support, it is usually designed to be short-term. To help close the gap and unlock the potential of young Syrian refugees in Jordan, Mercy Corps reimagined a proven poverty relief model with a human-centered design process to focus on what young refugees really wanted. “Masaruna” is a holistic program that provides tech-focused job training, leveraging digital technology for financial planning and coaching for toxic stress and gender issues that so often plague refugee camps. The hope is that these young Syrians refugees and their families – representing up to 10% of Jordan’s population – can take control of their bright futures. Mercy Corps is working with partner organizations and universities to study the program and expand it.
Global Mentorship Initiative helps underrepresented graduates land their first career-focused jobs through their mentorship pathway. The organization works with universities, nonprofits, and youth partners in more than 90 countries, including eight refugee camps. But while Alnarjes, a young Syrian woman now living in Turkey and pursuing a medical degree, might have directly benefitted from the program, it’s the mentors that often say they learn more from the mentees by putting themselves in another person’s shoes.
While the current refugee crisis presents immense challenges, it also embodies the incredible resilience, strength, and compassion of humanity. Across the globe, individuals, communities, and organizations, like the GlobalWA members mentioned above, are coming together to support and uplift refugees, offering shelter, assistance, and opportunities for a brighter future. Despite facing unimaginable hardships, refugees are not defined by their circumstances but by their unwavering determination to rebuild their lives and contribute to their new communities. GlobalWA members are creating a world where refugees feel welcomed, empowered, and embraced as valuable members of our global community.
In addition to the above-mentioned members, the following GlobalWA members and Pangea grant partners have programs and services in the communities where they work to assist refugees and displaced persons:
ChildFund is a global development organization working to connect children with the people, resources and institutions they need to grow up healthy, educated, skilled and safe. Founded in 1938, we work in 23 countries, reaching about 21.1 million children and family members in 2023, mainly through local partner organizations who lead social change efforts within their communities.
But not all children are able to remain within their communities. Worldwide, there are currently about 50 million children on the move, 14 million of whom are refugees, and many more are experiencing the effects of migration or facing the possibility of it.
ChildFund’s approach to working with Children On the Move, which includes refugees and other children fleeing their homes or at risk of doing so due to violence or disaster, aims to address needs related to both immediate and long-term well-being, including protection and basic services. Our programs offer livelihood opportunities for children and families wishing to stay in their origin communities and others reintegrating into new communities. For those leaving their communities to find safety, we offer psychosocial services, health services and continuity of education along the way.
Global Communities has a rich history of providing emergency aid and protection services to refugees and internally displaced people in many crisis settings, from Ukraine and Gaza to Syria and Guatemala. This includes our Child Protection in Emergencies programming, which supports the well-being of children and addresses risks created or exacerbated by crises, such as abuse and family separation. We build protective environments, strengthen children’s resilience and work to prevent further harm. In Syria, for example, we manage several Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS) for children living in displacement camps. Given the dire conditions in the camps, CFS create safe and welcoming environments where children engage in age-appropriate activities, receive psychosocial services and learn positive coping mechanisms. We also offer parenting sessions and cash assistance, for instance, to ensure that children have stable housing. In Ukraine, we partner with community-based organizations to fill gaps in state services. We engage children in art therapy classes, learn and play activities, and community events to support their healing and recovery. We also foster social cohesion between displaced people and host communities. For example, our recreational activities bring children from the community together with those who have fled the fighting to encourage integration and minimize tensions.
Global Mentorship Initiative is a US-based global nonprofit bridging the gap between graduation and first career jobs for underrepresented young professionals and refugees from diverse communities. Through leveraging digital resources, mentorship, AI, and human connection, we are building a more equitable workforce of tomorrow’s leaders.
GMI’s flagship program is a structured, 12-week, virtual, one-to-one mentorship with a career professional. In four years, GMI has scaled from supporting 20 students to now over 7,000 in 100 countries, including 8 refugee camps.
GMI has supported over 500 refugee learners, many living in camps across Africa and Lebanon. 72% are employed within six months of graduating, in camps where the formal employment rate can be as low as 10%. GMI has partnered with the UNHCR to mentor 1,000 refugee learners over the next two years and support our corporate partners in hiring these bright, motivated candidates. For more information about how you can mentor, sponsor, or hire refugee learners, please contact ravenna.hennane@globalmentorship.org.
International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic well-being, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC works in more than 50 countries.
The IRC has 29 offices across the United States that support newly arrived refugees by providing immediate aid, integration support, and employment services. The IRC is proud to have resettled over 400,000 refugees into the U.S. since World War II. In the United States, we help Afghans, Syrians, Ukrainians, and other refugees as they arrive in their new communities by finding homes, connecting to employment and education, and providing essential items.
When refugees arrive, we welcome them at the airport and connect them to housing. We also donate essential items, including food, clothes, kitchen utensils, and hygiene items. We offer cultural orientation, job training, and English classes while helping newcomers find employment and apply for benefits. We also help enroll children in school, provide immigrant legal assistance, and support finding health care.
At Mercy Corps, we assist refugees through emergency response, providing immediate aid like food, shelter, and hygiene supplies. We offer long-term support by improving access to livelihood opportunities. Through vocational training, refugees work to rebuild their lives and generate income. We also provide essential psychosocial support to help refugees cope with trauma and mental health challenges. We foster social cohesion between refugee and host communities through community engagement activities, promoting understanding and peaceful coexistence. We run campaigns addressing climate-related challenges faced by refugees, advocating for sustainable solutions and resilience-building measures. Additionally, we advocate for refugee rights and needs on a broader scale, engaging with governments and international organizations to shape policies that protect refugees and enhance their access to assistance.
Operation Snow Leopard (OSL) is a US-based nonprofit founded immediately after Kabul’s fall in August 2021. OSL’s primary mission is to safely evacuate and resettle at-risk Afghans, with a strong focus on women and children. We assist vulnerable groups, including women leaders, human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists, interpreters, doctors, activists, and religious minorities. Entirely run by volunteers, including former military personnel, civilians, and Afghans, OSL has conducted dozens of missions, helping nearly 1900 at-risk Afghans evacuate and relocate. OSL raises funds for mission essentials like food, lodging, medical care, travel, and documentation (passports, visas) for Afghans.
Since August 2021, OSL accepted a specific mission to help female Afghan Parliamentarians who were at risk of Taliban retribution. Despite engaging with over forty nations for resettlement pathways over the past two years, OSL was surprised to receive only a few offers. In 2022, OSL partnered with the Inter-Parliamentary Union, participating in international dialogues to aid at-risk Parliamentarians. OSL’s efforts included attending IPU General Assemblies in Bahrain and Geneva and coordinating with the UN. However, despite some progress, government and international institutions have not resolved these high-profile individuals’ resettlement issues. OSL actively renews calls for countries to accept these courageous women and their staff, who bravely risked everything when they stood up for democracy.
Around the world, Oxfam partners with local organizations to help refugees and other displaced people with their immediate basic needs for clean water, shelter, food, and work as well as advocate for their long-term wellbeing—both in their own nations, and in the countries that host them. We engage with allies and government officials at all levels to focus on peace and find sustainable solutions to the conflict and violence that ruin so many lives. We push for wealthy countries to welcome refugees and boldly attend to their needs. And we advocate for public policies that protect the rights of displaced families as they strive to rebuild their lives and fight to provide for their children a more equal future—in their own countries or the ones in which they settle. Read more.
Seattle International Foundation
Seattle International Foundation (SIF) believes in just, peaceful and prosperous societies in Central America, and that Central Americans should not be forced to leave their communities in search of refuge and safety. We work to build good governance and equity in order to address key political and social challenges in the region, including authoritarianism, human rights violations, corruption, impunity, violence, gender inequality, and discrimination, as they are push factors for forced displacement and migration.
We invest in organized civil society and independent actors at the forefront of advocacy efforts and to serve as the voice of the public and in independent media whose work increases transparency and accountability of actors in power. We bring together donors and international actors supporting Central America with Central American civil society leaders, including those who have gone into exile for political persecution, so that they can exchange experiences and build strategies to address the main drivers of irregular migration. Above all, we champion the visions of local communities in their efforts to demand political and social change and build the countries they dream of.
Pangea Grant Partners – Refugees
East Africa
Solidarity Eden Foundation, Uganda
2023 funds were used to expand the Women on Wheels program to equip 100 refugee women to gain financial independence: extensive tailing and business training combined with mentoring, mental health support and internships with established tailors. This is a comprehensive program ameliorating the trauma of refugee reality with training and gainful employment.
SE Asia
FORTUNE, Thailand
FORTUNE, a grassroots organization in Fang District in Northern Thailand, is the newest grant partner in Southeast Asia. It was founded in 2009. Its mission is to address the community and human rights needs of Myanmar ethnic migrant workers (many undocumented) who live and work in migrant camps on agricultural farms along the Thai-Myanmar border. FORTUNE provides support to Myanmar refugees and migrant workers living in Thailand.