Iraqi couple among world’s first refugees to get COVID-19 jab
After receiving inoculation as part of Jordan’s national vaccination plan, Iraqi refugee Raia hopes life will soon return to normal and other refugees will follow her lead. By Lilly Carlisle in Irbid, Jordan “I hope life will be more relaxed now. When I go home, I...
Refugees receive COVID-19 vaccinations in Jordan
Jordan has become one of the world’s first countries to start COVID-19 vaccinations for refugees, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, reports today. Raia Alkabasi, an Iraqi refugee living in the northern city of Irbid, was the first UNHCR-registered refugee in the country...
Cash assistance gives refugees the power of choice
UNHCR is expanding cash-based assistance so that the millions of people that it serves can meet their needs in dignity, are protected and can become more resilient. By UNHCR staff Taking a bank card to a cash machine in Beirut, Syrian widow Manar Al Sayer taps in a...
5 ways refugees helped battle COVID-19 in 2020
Amid the pandemic, refugees stepped up to provide healthcare, boost wellness, safeguard their communities and keep us inspired during lockdowns. By UNHCR staff For most people, 2020 cannot end soon enough. The COVID-19 pandemic has killed nearly 1.8 million people...
Mental health services help refugees transform their lives in Libya
With many refugees and asylum seekers in Libya in need of psychosocial support after years of conflict and insecurity, UNHCR and its partner are providing life-changing help. By Caroline Gluck in Tripoli, Libya Everyday life in Libya’s capital Tripoli has never been...
Teacher fundraises for family and refugees in Ethiopia
Meet Yohana Weldguirguis, the Canadian fundraising and advocating for the rights of those forced to flee Tigray, Ethiopia. By Yohana Weldguirguis, as told to Hannah Scott and Hawa Maiga Born in Sudan, Yohana Weldguirguis came to Canada in 1998. Throughout the years,...
A cookbook for the holidays celebrates the flavours that make us who we are
In ‘Tastes from Home: Recipes from the Refugee Community,’ people from all over the world who now call Canada home share their stories and favourite recipes. By Hannah Scott in Toronto When Anuarite Manyoha, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),...
Hope on the horizon as UN Refugee Agency turns 70
OTTAWA, CANADA, 14 DECEMBER 2020 – Today marks the 70th anniversary since UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, was given its mandate by the UN General Assembly to protect people forced to flee persecution, provide humanitarian assistance and work to find solutions for...