Muhammed Omadi and his family came face-to-face with death, forced to cross the sea to see refuge in a safe country. They lost everything in the process.

When home is far away, rescue is close by. The International Rescue Committee helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future. This is rescue in action. Help us to rescue the futures of refugee families. Make a regular gift today.  

When Ebalo grows up, he says he wants to be a policeman, so that he can help people. The IRC is committed to ensuring that he has the best start in life so he can make his dream a reality.

Cash "gave me dignity and allowed me to meet my family's needs on my own." Ajel and his family are supported by the IRC as part of the Lebanon Cash Consortium. This is the power of cash relief in supporting refugees to rebuild their lives. Find out more about how the IRC is delivering better aid with cash relief.

  Shaimah and the Safe Space

Thousands of people are fleeing their homes as the Iraqi army, Kurdish Peshmerga and coalition forces fight to retake Mosul — Iraq's second largest city — from the ISIS militant group. The IRC is providing emergency cash relief and other support to displaced families.

IRC volunteer, Yousef Al-Masri is a Syrian refugee living at Za'atari refugee camp in Jordan. Yousef invented a new way to get around by welding bike parts and various other materials into mini vehicles.

Thirteen-year-old Bilal* has been working on the streets of Tripoli for the past two years. Originally from Aleppo, he would work 12 hours a day to bring in cash to support his family. Today he's back at school and back learning. Read his story.

Ruth, 14, was forced to flee her home in north-east Nigeria due to Boko Haram violence and went without school for three years. Now because of the IRC and ECHO Children of Peace Initiative she attends school again.

More than half of the world's refugees are children under the age of 18 and three-quarters are women and childen. Find out the real story of refugees fleeing war and persecution.