Eight-year-old twin sisters from Afghanistan recount harrowing tales of the fearful journey they endured as they made their escape to Europe. They are just two of the more than one million refugees from countries experiencing relentless conflicts who have fled to Europe for safety and a new start. "The smugglers had sticks and they beat us, and wouldn’t let us stop even for five minutes," one of the girls said.

Sixty percent of refugees worldwide live in cities and communities rather than in camps. Providing refugees cash instead of goods like blankets or food, allows aid agencies like the International Rescue Committee to reach refugees quickly and at a lower cost. Cash relief is also good for the economy. It means refugees can buy what they need from local shops, growing their communities.

As part of the International Rescue Committee(IRC)'s 2022 Global Virtual Event, world famous cellist and IRC Luminary Yo-Yo Ma met with Zarlasht and Shir Zad Sarbaz,  Afghan refugees who moved to the United States in December of 2021.

“Whether you’re a refugee or a citizen, all of us have a dream.” What does it mean to run your own business? For someone rebuilding their life after a crisis, it can be a lifeline, providing independence, income and a chance to contribute to their community.

Forced to flee Haiti alone after an attempted attack on her home, Michelda sought safety in Mexico. Here, she found hope through the IRC’s Resilient Futures Program, supported by the Citi Foundation, which helps refugees build new lives through job training and employment opportunities. Now, Michelda is learning sustainable farming at the Iniciativa Agroecológica Xochimilco school, growing not just crops, but her dreams of a stable future.

Three straight years of below-average rainfall have left some 2.6 million people in northern Kenya struggling to find enough to eat. As crops and livestock are lost to the severe drought, food prices have quadrupled and malnutrition is on the rise.