Good People News Spotlight - USA for UNHCR: Hope and Opportunity for Refugees

By Michael Castro

Displaced people and stateless refugees all around the globe are in a test of survival . One of the non-profit organizations helping these people is USA for UNHCR . The UNHCR is a UN Agency that aids and protects refugees, and assists in their attempt to settle in a 3rd country. It was founded in 1950, in the aftermath of the second World War.

Good People News had the pleasure of connecting with USA for UNHCR’s communications director, Nicholas Feeney to learn more about this critical organization.

Good People News: What can people do to help?

Feeney: Every day, thousands of compassionate Americans make the choice to help save and protect the lives of refugees -- some of the world’s most vulnerable people. They do this through donating to USA for UNHCR, creating fundraisers where they donate their birthdays, by signing petitions, following refugees related news and supporting resettled refugees in their home communities. If you want to support refugees, there are so many opportunities. For help with ideas, visit our “How to Help” page to get started.

Good People News: How dire is the situation with refugees in the world right now? 

Feeney: The current refugee crisis is the greatest humanitarian challenge of our time. Today there are nearly 80 million people worldwide who have been forced to flee their homes. This is an unprecedented level of global displacement not seen since the end of the Second World War. And sadly, and half of these refugees are children. 

More than three-quarters of the world’s refugees (77 percent) are caught up in situations of long-term displacement. 85 percent of the world’s refugees live in developing countries with fragile economies and health infrastructures.

COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the already significant challenges to addressing the global refugee crisis. The only way we can protect ourselves and our communities from this virus is to work together to slow the virus down.

Beyond the statistics, these emergencies are the stories of people lives. For instance, before Covid-19, I met with Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. There I met Salma, a Rohingya refugee and healthcare volunteer who was helping connect her fellow refugees with care they needed. When Covid significantly impacted the work of non-profits and IGOs in the camp, Salma and other refugee volunteers stepped up to care for their friends and families.

The community health volunteer group is part of a larger community-based protection model in the camp that was introduced as way to give refugees like Salma the chance to gain control over their lives, learn new skills and to empower all members of the Rohingya community living in Bangladesh.

Good People News: What obstacles do you have in helping the vulnerable refugees in these situations?

Feeney: Discrimination, or conflict spurred by racial or ethnic strife, is often a reason that refugees are forced to flee. In addition, refugees can also face discrimination in host countries -- access to education, jobs, and livelihoods.

Refugees often find safety in isolated areas or in places without adequate infrastructure. The current crisis in the Tigray region Ethiopia is a good example. Refugees fleeing violence and crossing into a remote area of Sudan and delivering care and protection is a challenge.

When refugees are in protracted, long term crises, they are often some of the most economically vulnerable and have little to no access to job and resources.

The bright side:

Feeney added that on the bright side: “ Every day, refugees are starting over, making the best of it, trying to market their skills and learn new ones, finding work and opportunity and making connections. We must resist narratives that portray refugees as weak or a drain – and instead showcase their ambitions for the future, and creating pathways for acceptance.  

For resettled refugees in the U.S., in some areas they face a misconception that they don’t contribute to their communities and are a burden on the economy. This is simply not true. A report from New American Economy, a bipartisan research and advocacy organization, finds that resettled refugees pay billions a year in taxes and have a higher entrepreneurship rate than other immigrant groups and the U.S. born population. 

USA for UNHCR is a platform to lift refugee voices. To quote Mustafa Nuur, a former refugee from Somalia who is now an entrepreneur in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, “When you hear a refugee’s story, it’s going to be very difficult for you to hate them.” A few years ago, Mustafa founded Bridge, a social enterprise platform where you can book cross-cultural experiences with local refugees to hear their story, to enjoy their food and build community. Refugees themselves are leading the efforts to change public perception -- we need to be their bullhorn.”

Good People News seconds that notion. Again, you can help here: https://www.unrefugees.org/how-to-help/