This report underlines the importance of a coordinated and collaborative approach to emergency response in urban areas. The recommendations, addressed primarily to humanitarian actors, reflect lessons learned from the International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) initial emergency response programming on the island of Lesbos, Greece, between September 2015 and March 2016.

Naimat grew up in a small province in Afghanistan called Ghazni with his parents, three sisters, one brother, and his uncles. With the hope of pursuing higher education and starting his own business, Naimat came to the United States where he earned a Master’s degree in Accounting.

Ivan travelled thousands of miles from Venezuela to the U.S.-Mexico border only to be turned away.

Sammiah Ebadi has been volunteering with the IRC in Denver office for 6 months. An immigrant herself, Sammiah has found meaning and pride in helping others who have resettled in the United States.