Your Stories

War has forced millions of families to flee their homes

This is the most urgent story of our time

Jihan’s Story, Greece

Jihan, her husband and two sons from Syria boarded a boat with 40 others. They hoped the journey would take eight hours. There was no guarantee they would make it alive…

Finding way from Gaza to Norway

I couldn’t bear the thought of losing my daughter. I had to flee alone with my two kids…

Zawbader: A Rohingya woman in Thailand

“We considered the government like our mother and father and expected it to help us, but it didn’t”.

From Iran to Norway

I fought against the oppression of women, the injustice, the violence and the excessive use of force by the new regime. Then, my husband and I were arrested and imprisoned…

Mouhamad’s Journey, Greece

“At 2:30 in the morning, the engine suddenly stopped. The deadly silence around us was creating a funeral atmosphere… “

Living a refugee life is hard. It’s dark with no future, no hope, no dreams and no destiny. But I thank God that he had a plan for me.

He gives me strength to face my daily struggle. And thankfully he brought me here in the land of opportunity to explore the world. I am renewed again.

AA Gill: Welcome to Death Island

They came in search of the Promised Land. Hundreds perished off these rocks. AA Gill on the tragedy of the Africans who set sail for Europe.

Maria’s Story, Ecuador

I was witness to a generosity that does not limit itself to material goods…

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Aminata Conteh-Biger Australia for UNHCR Special Representative and former refugee

Aminata Conteh-Biger is a former refugee and victim of sex & gender based violence during conflict. She now works with Australia for UNHCR to encourage every day Australians to unite and support the work of UNHCR globally.

As a child, my grandmother arrived from Belarus to Ellis Island with her sister and parents, around 1910.

Her sister though had red eye, conjunctivitis, which though not serious was highly contagious and on the list of diseases that excluded one from entering the U.S. (as did syphilis and TB).

Aduk Dau Duot’s story

Aduk Dau Duot fled from the civil war in South Sudan in 1983, and after spending time in Kakuma refugee camp was resettled to Australia. Despite losing her own family while fleeing, Aduk found herself caring for many unaccompanied South Sudanese children. Thanks to UNHCR Adut now lives in Australia and has been reunited with her family.

Carmen Palencia: Land Rights Activist in Colombia

“I’ve been offered asylum in several countries but I won’t go. Colombia is my home. I’ve given my life to defending our rights and fighting against inequality. I’ve made a moral and ethical commitment to my country,” Palencia said.

That is the very life of a refugee, always forced to flee at the slightest shot of fire.

The crisis in Cote d’Ivoire, began during the day, we found the market, each other, and looking for a place or shelter to avoid stray bullets.

Hesna Al Ghaoui, journalist

I took this photo when I was filming in Zaatari camp for a Hungarian TV programme. I remember different emotions rushing through me when I saw this scene.

Agid and Sherin’s Story, Greece

“A one-hour journey turned to 14 hours of hell. As we were certain that we would drown, we were constantly pumping water out of the boat,…”

Kathy Calvin, President and CEO, UN Foundation

President and CEO of the United Nations Foundation tells Nyanwour’s story – a South Sudanese refugee.

Stateless in the Dominican Republic – Juliana’s Story

Juliana was born in the Dominican Republic. But she can’t vote, get married, travel abroad, get a formal job, open a bank account…

Those days were very tough yet were blessings too. Among all the privileges, the education opportunity was the best gift ever.

There was severe poverty, very casual medical support, extreme lack of sanitation, and lack of food which caused a lot of pain and suffering for many. Despite all of this, the place where I grew up and spent my entire childhood I will always treasure and cherish those memories in my heart.

Meeting Tameru Zegeye from Ethiopia

We are a group of journalists and news producers and we first met Tameru Zegeye in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. …

It is difficult to express all the losses that refugee children can suffer.

During the realm of my social work career I worked in a Refugee camp and one fo my career highlights was meeting and working with one amazing boy with speech disability. Tyrell Good (not his real name) is a 7 year old boy from Democratic Republic of Congo.

Francia’s Story, Colombia

“One man from the group started yelling at me… I think they thought I was an informant, which made me an instant target for them”.

Barry’s Story: A transgender man from Burundi

“Everyone who has found out that I am gay has tried to kill me”

Sarjida’s Story: Fleeing by boat to Malaysia

“This was the first time I’d left home… I was scared… but if I’d stayed in Myanmar, the situation could have got worse”.

It was a nightmare that you cannot wake up from, and it will never leave me

I looked around and all I saw was the open sea. At that moment, I feared for my life. I had no air to breathe because the place was overcrowded, my legs started to feel numb from the way I was sitting. We had neither food nor water…

1 family torn apart by war is too many

Learn more about our work with refugees at UNHCR.org