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Long-term solutions, like the Graduation Model in Colombia, are bringing new hope to those who have been forced to flee their homes! Launched in 2019, the Graduation Model helps forcibly displaced Venezuelans rebuild their lives with dignity and lift themselves out of poverty. The program uses a combination of trainings and mentorship to help displaced people build small businesses and gain financial stability. “Participating in the Graduation Model has changed me, and I dare say I am not the same person I was at the beginning,” shares Yuli, founder of the jewelry company Creaciones Andremar. “Joining the project was my starting point to bring my family happiness, peace of mind and confidence — all I aimed for when I came to Colombia.” 📸: © USA for UNHCR/Nicholas Feeney

The latest escalation of violence in #Lebanon has caused devastation across the country — claiming lives and uprooting families from their homes. More than half of the Lebanese population lives below the poverty line, while 9 out of 10 Syrian refugees living in the country require humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs. Swipe to see 5 key facts on the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Lebanon.

“I pray for peace and I want the world to know what is happening,” Idris says. "I pray Sudan recovers, it has to. This is my country, this is where I was born.” Before the war in Sudan erupted, Idris Issa was a thriving commercial farmer. Now, the 54-year-old father of 13 has been uprooted from his home and has lost everything. He currently resides in a makeshift shelter at the UNHCR-supported Al Kasara site for internally displaced people in White Nile State, Sudan. Like millions across Sudan, Idris's family now struggles to access basic necessities such as food and safe shelter. 📸: © UNHCR/Samuel Otieno

Over the past few months, we've been shining a light on Seattle and the incredible work Seattleites are doing to support, empower, and welcome refugees into their communities. From empowering women through the Refugee Artisan Initiative—where each stitch represents a step toward economic independence—to fostering friendships and culinary skills through Project Feast’s Culinary Apprenticeship Program, the stories we've featured have highlighted the city’s unwavering commitment to creating safe, inclusive spaces where refugees can thriv Read More:

Refugee ➡️ Youth program organizer ➡️ Leader and advocate 💪 Meet Tshishiku Henry and watch as he shares what has been most important to him on his journey to safety in a special interview with USA for UNHCR. Refugee Congress Tacoma Refugee Choir

Meet Diluvia, a member of Tuis Tuis, an indigenous group in Colombia that was displaced from their land 20 years ago. The group has since built a sustainable life in a new part of northeastern Colombia with their beautiful values and traditions. When we spoke to Diluvia we learned that, as part of Tuis Tuis tradition, men do not translate or speak on behalf of women. Therefore, all translation from their indigenous language to Spanish must be done by a woman if a woman is speaking. Diluvia is part of an indigenous leadership school supported by UNHCR. The school seeks to strengthen civic and public participation of indigenous groups, as part of a larger effort to support indigenous communities that have been displaced and harmed by the armed conflict in the region. 📸: © USA for UNHCR/Nicholas Feeney

💡 FACT: At the end of 2023, almost three quarters of forcibly displaced people were living in countries with high-to-extreme exposure to climate-related hazards. Take Hajira, a 33-year-old refugee from Somalia, for example. Hajira was forced to flee her home in 2022 due to severe drought — the worst drought the country had seen in decades. She lost her crops and livestock and fled to Kenya with her eight children to find safety. Hajira and her family are just a few of the more than 600,000 refugees living in Kenya’s Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps. Although rain returned to the Horn of Africa in early 2024, it brought with it severe weather and flooding that have now created new problems in the region.

Tawergha, which means "the green island" in the Berber language, was once known for its palm trees and date production. But for more than a decade, people from Tawergha, Libya have been forced to flee their homes, finding refuge at makeshift settlements in Tripoli and Benghazi. Tawerghan elders, like Ahmed and Meftah, are determined to keep their connection to their culture alive in their new countries. The elders train young children in their settlements in the traditional craft of weaving palm leaves to make house ornaments or baskets, used to carry bread and food. 📸:© UNHCR/Farah Harwida

For most of her life, Lucky Karim has been using her powerful voice to advocate for women and girls' rights, rise into leadership roles and create change! When Lucky was just 14 years old, she and her family were forced to flee violence and persecution in Myanmar and found refuge in Bangladesh. Through hard work and persistence, she learned the native language and English, and soon found herself using her newfound language skills to engage with leaders from her refugee camp, the host community and NGOs like UNHCR. Now, at 20 years old, she has taken her advocacy work to the United States Congress. “I believe refugees around the world should hear my story to be inspired, to be encouraged, and to know that stateless and refugee girls can still do anything,” says Lucky. 📸: © USA for UNHCR/Nicholas Feeney