Iraqi schools face a desk deficit
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Sept 30 (UNHCR)—While many Iraqi students were enjoying the last weeks of summer before school resumed, the classrooms of al-Asil elementary school in Baghdad’s Mansour neighbourhood were full. Here, students whose families ...
Crossing to Safety
Steady streams of traffic flow in both directions across the floating bridge that spans the Euphrates River near Bzeibiz, Iraq. Young men pushing wheelbarrows full of watermelons, cucumbers and tomatoes weave in and out ...
Young Afghans Weigh Their Future
Sonita has only seen Afghanistan through the eyes of others: on her relatives’ mobile phones, in films and in Internet videos. Zia has been there just once, to apply for a passport. But these ...
The challenge of life in their Afghan homeland for children born in exile
KABUL, Afghanistan, November 20, 2014—The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted 25 years ago today to protect children like Hasanat and Aisha. The two have returned to a homeland, ...
Emotional graduation ceremony triggers memories of Burundian scholar’s journey
NAMPULA, Mozambique, December 24, 2014 – When Oliviet Nyankuru heard his name being called out at a recent graduation ceremony in Mozambique’s Lurio University, he became emotional at the thought of his long journey to get ...
Home Alone: South Sudan teen leads her young siblings to safety in Uganda
BOROLI REFUGEE SETTLEMENT, Uganda, September 4, 2014—When 13-year-old Yayo Tangko turned up at the Boroli refugee settlement in Uganda earlier in 2014 with her four younger siblings, she feared the worst for her missing ...
What’s it like to be a child refugee?
Stories of loss, hope, joy and fear from those forced to grow up too quickly Two facts to consider: 1) In 2014, half of all refugees were children. 2) On average, a camp refugee ...
Born in a refugee camp: Charity’s story
April 18, 10:40 a.m. in the Siripi Health Centre, Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement near Arua, Uganda: At 6.15 a.m., 20-year-old Charity Fikeira gave birth to her first child—a tiny but healthy baby girl. Yesterday, ...