Today, in honor of World Refugee Day, USAID recognizes the strength and resilience of the more than 60 million people around the world who flee war, persecution, and human rights abuses in pursuit of safety and stability.
The world is facing an extraordinary time of conflict and crisis- the number of refugees and displaced persons globally is at its highest point since World War II. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that 90,000 refugees seeking safer, more prosperous shores have risked their lives crossing the Mediterranean by boat in 2015.
World Refugee Day marks an opportunity for the international community to recognize the plight of these uprooted families across the globe.
This year's theme is 'Get to Know a Refugee - Ordinary People Living through Extraordinary Times.' The goal is to remind us that refugees are just like everyone else, that their borderless status is not the only thing that defines them.
As many advocates and international development professionals know, more than anything refugees seek normalcy - whether it is a traditional meal that reminds them of home or ensuring that their children continue their education.
The story behind the journey
A mission trip working with Haitian refugees in the Dominican Republic inspired my own personal identification and commitment to refugees.
After witnessing the social exclusion and instability that new refugees face, I knew that I wanted to help them re-establish their lives. With the resolve to protect the human rights of refugees, I became a resettlement caseworker for the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a USAID partner dedicated to serving refugees.
As a member of the reception team, I was the first point of contact for refugees arriving in the United States. I greeted refugees at the airport, helped them settle into their new homes, and connected them to vital social services.
(...)