1.5 million children in Idlib, Syria are struggling after eight years of conflict. Many can’t go to school. Some must work. All are at risk of emotional trauma. We're giving 25,000 children backpacks stuffed with toys, puzzles, coloring books, crayons, pencils and storybooks. These kits help Syrian children find comfort while they build cognitive skills.

In November 2019, Tecle Gebremicheal became the first refugee from Africa to run for local office in Boise, Idaho. “When I first came to America, I promised myself that I will do everything I can to give back to the country and community that welcomed me,” he says. “I want to show that when refugees come here, we try to integrate and contribute however we can.”

Kamala Kahindo, 42, is a mother of four who after surviving Ebola made the decision to take care of others fighting the disease in Democratic Republic of Congo. Kamala helps them shower, eat, take medication and go to the toilet. She educates them about what’s happening. But most importantly, she gives them comfort and a smile.  Meet some of the other survivors who won the battle against Ebola

Hundreds of thousands of children have been forced to flee their home by the battle against ISIS in Iraq. Watch and share Arwa’s story.  Arwa fled her home in Mosul. Today she attends the IRC’s center for children where she practices mindfulness to deal with the trauma she has experienced. The center, supported by EU humanitarian aid (ECHO) also gives her a place to play, learn and to just be a child again.

Ahlan Simsim, created by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Sesame Workshop, is an early childhood development program that gives millions of refugee and displaced children and their families in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq the support they need to cope with crises and build a brighter future. The program has adapted to COVID-19 by providing caregivers with learning activities for their children via WhatsApp.

The International Rescue Committee and Sesame Workshop are working together to give refugee children a chance at a brighter future. "Less than two percent of all humanitarian aid funding goes on education, even though half of the world's refugees are kids," says IRC president and CEO David Miliband in an interview about the partnership that aired on "60 Minutes" on November 17.

Rania Abou is a 19-year-old refugee from Syria living in Roselle, New Jersey. An artist who dreams of becoming an engineer, she is currently working for the International Rescue Committee and World Central Kitchen in Elizabeth, New Jersey, helping give out food to people in need. “In the future, somebody will help me. It's like a circle.

We are honored that the MacArthur Foundation has selected this program as the winner of its 100&Change competition, a one-time $100 million grant to "make measurable progress toward solving a significant problem of our time." This award allows the IRC and Sesame Street to create what will be the largest early childhood intervention in the history of humanitarian response.