When you picture a refugee, perhaps you envision them in a throng of people fleeing their city. Or perhaps braving the sea in an over-crowded boat or languishing in a refugee camp. Each of those scenarios are a stage in the refugee journey. There are other less visible realities as well. Often a refugee’s first “host”country is simply the closest one they could get into. It doesn’t mean they were welcome and often they are exploited as cheap labor or charged inflated prices for their basic needs. Being born in this state of transition can also result in being stateless. Many countries in the world do not automatically grant citizenship by virtue of being born within their borders and if the country of origin is in a state of disfunction, or parents are in survival mode, it may not be possible to get the necessary documentation for citizenship. Statelessness can result in a life-time of dis-advantages. At different stages of this journey, refugees may need food & water, they may need rescuing, or they may need a legal or political solution.

However, when a refugee finally arrives in their designated host country, (i.e. a country that is officially receiving them) they begin the formidable task of rebuilding their lives. Many refugees are mid-career professionals that are forced to start over. Their degrees may not be accepted in their host country and as one refugee friend put it, “everything here is the complete opposite of how things work in my country.”

At this stage, their greatest need is often a trusted friend that can guide them through the realities of their new home and help them land on their feet. Friends for Refugees mobilizes trusted, compassionate individuals to be that friend.