#refugeegirls

[sofiawellman]

Who doesn't like giving away $1000 to better their community? Thanks to my friend Melody Edwards’ $1000 Supper Club, I got to donate $1000 to the Global Village Project, a school for refugee girls. Their philosophy is: “If you educate a boy, you educate an individual. If you educate a girl, you educate a community.”

[insiderefugepoint]

Lifeline Story: Without her sister

In 2010, Nadine fled Burundi after her house was invaded by men searching for her uncle, a politician.  The men shot her grandmother who was sitting in her wheelchair. Separated from their youngest sisters, Nadine and her younger sister Aalia fled with their aunt to Kenya.

When I interviewed Nadine in the camp where she now lives, she vividly recalled how Aalia went missing from the camp's school.  She searched everywhere in the camp and informed the relevant authorities of her sister's disappearance.  But her sister was never seen or heard from again.

Nadine cried as she talked about her sister, the only close relative she had within the camp since her aunt had also disappeared, leaving the two sisters on their own. Nadine explained, “I’ve been alone and taking care of myself.  I’ve been waiting for my sister to come back but she hasn’t.”  

You can hear the sadness in her voice, yet you can also sense the anger of an elder sister who had shouldered the burden and embraced the responsibilities of caring for her younger sibling, but was finally unable to protect her.

- RefugePoint staff

[insiderefugepoint]

We recently identified twin teenage girls who had been tortured. One was left with bullet scars and vision impairment. Now they're benefiting from our medical and counseling programs, and we've referred them for resettlement.

- RefugePoint Community Health Worker

[insiderefugepoint]

LIfeline Story: An inspiration to other girls

Emilie is one of the young women in our Great Lakes counseling group. She is doing much better than when we first met her and is learning to deal with her trauma through activities such as  journaling. She’s an inspiration to the other girls because she’s staying alone and supporting herself - something she’s never done in her life.  At this point we think she might be ready for resettlement.  Before we worried she might be too fragile and not know how to ask for help. But now, she’s able to articulate her needs, knows her strengths, and is able to ask for support.

- RefugePoint staff, Nairobi

[insiderefugepoint]

Mission Moment

"One story that has always stuck with me is that of a Somali girl I interviewed who'd never known either of her parents. Her mother died giving birth to her, and her father had disappeared before that. She grew up with her aunt. When the girl was twelve, the fighting in Somalia forced them to flee their home. When the girl boarded a bus at the station, she thought her aunt was right behind her, only to discover that she was alone. With help from other passengers, she got herself to Uganda. A relative outside of Africa sends a little money and calls her once a week, but other than that this young girl is totally on her own. She pays people to let her stay with them until they cannot support her. She told me she'd probably stayed in 10-15 different houses in over three years. I remember thinking how I just couldn't wrap my head around how this vivacious, smiling little girl had survived such isolation. She, like so many other refugee girls, are resilient and strong." -RefugePoint Staff 

[insiderefugepoint]

“When we met Hawa she was extremely traumatized. When we referred her to our partners at Heshima Kenya for the first week she was crying 24/7 and could barely form a sentence. Six months later, she has improved so much that she was able move out of Heshima with a friend she met there. We’re paying 50% of her rent and will be providing food as she gets back up on her feet. We're so encouraged by our successful collaboration with Heshima and we're so glad to see Hawa doing so much better.”

- RefugePoint staff, Nairobi

[insiderefugepoint]

Listen to Aluel, a former refugee from South Sudan, who talks about her journey to the United States and why refugee girls are often overlooked and forgotten. 

To see what YOU can do. Check out our FRONT + CENTER campaign page.