The Cause of our Generation: Helping Refugees Resettle Far From Home

Recent generations have witnessed the global refugee crisis worsen, one war after another, at rates not seen since WWII. For those who want to help, here’s how.

Refugees fleeing for a safer home in a new country is, unfortunately, nothing new. But in our lifetime, it’s been especially prevalent. War has escalated the world’s refugee crisis to a level that leaves families far from home searching for a new one on their own.?

The U.N. reports the number of forcibly displaced people has now surpassed 100 million.

Groups committed to helping displaced people resettle in the U.S., Europe, and countries bordering major sources of violence and persecution are overwhelmed by the volume. Unless more donors make refugee resettlement missions one of their causes, families forced to move will be left to face the unknown journey alone with fewer resources.?

UKRAINE

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused 6 million people to uproot their lives in search of safety, the majority moving to other countries. Millions more are displaced inside Ukraine and unable to get out due to fighting and destroyed roads and bridges. Not since WWII has a population been displaced so rapidly and at such a scale.

AFGHANISTAN

Decades of war and the Taliban takeover of the country in 2021 was the catalyst of the current humanitarian crisis affecting 24 million people—over half the population—including millions of internally displaced people. Afghans are struggling to get enough to eat and economic conditions are quickly eroding. The situation is much more dire for women and girls whose basic rights have disappeared under Taliban rule, canceling any ground won for equality over the past twenty years.

SYRIA

An ongoing conflict that began 12 years ago has left 70% of Syrians in the country fighting for survival and struggling to meet their basic needs. Humanitarian issues stemming from years of conflict have been compounded by the pandemic and economic collapse. In total, over 12 million people have been displaced by the war.??

The global refugee crisis is not isolated to Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Syria. Millions of families in Asia, Africa, and South America are being forced to abandon their homes in search of a safer life away from violence and persecution.

WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT

You can donate to an international relief organization assisting refugees with resettlement resources, guidance, and the opportunity of a new home. As with any cause, the charities who assist displaced people provide vital services in unique ways, so you have options in how you can make a difference for the ongoing efforts.

Three of the charity organizations helping refugees resettle in the U.S. and elsewhere are the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Home for Refugees, and Team Rubicon. You can learn more about IRC, Home for Refugees, Team Rubicon, and others organizations serving refugees in the Groundswell app.?

America was founded on principles of hope and opportunity, one of which is to be a welcoming haven for people who have endured and survived conflict or hardship, and right now we see this through the actions of volunteers helping arriving families find a home and a better life.?

However, the current crisis caused by conflict shows no signs of slowing the displacement of people in Ukraine and Syria as well as in Afghanistan where a humanitarian emergency and? economic collapse under Taliban rule has escalated. The reality is devastating and urgent for an increasing number of refugees. More philanthropists must add refugee aid to the list of important causes they support if organizations have any hope in helping every displaced family resettle.??

GIVING TO HELP REFUGEES IS AN ASK FOR GREATER EMPATHY

While every cause elicits a certain degree of empathy from those who fund it, the refugee crisis is, for most, not close to home. And philanthropists in the U.S. are less likely to know someone who has been forced to flee their home and country. It could be harder for donors to answer the question: Why do you support this cause??

Unlike putting your charitable dollars behind a broader issue like the climate crisis or a personal cause like cancer research after a loved one gets sick, the harrowing experience of being a refugee is most likely foreign.?

This is not ignoring the millions of dollars that have been donated to humanitarian aid for refugees this year and its impact, but rather drawing attention to a crisis being fought as it grows.?

Right now, Groundswell is spotlighting refugee resettlement along with the many vetted charities serving displaced people around the world and asking Groundswell users and all philanthropists to consider donating to this urgent cause.??