Meet 7 young champions taking action for refugees in their communities
Be inspired and join our network of young champions!
You are never too young to make a difference. On World Youth Day, we highlight the stories of 7 young champions who are realizing their own power and advocating for the 82.4 million people forced to flee their homes. We hope that their actions can inspire more young people to join our newly created network of UNHCR young champions.
“I sent 1,200 letters asking world leaders to welcome refugees”
Libby organized a letter-writing marathon to encourage world leaders to adopt policies that are welcoming of refugees.
Despite the restrictions imposed by COVID-19, Libby and her peers managed to engage high school and middle school students to write over 1,200 letters.
“We are so isolated,” she says. “Especially in the pandemic, we live in insulated bubbles and don’t realize how much we should be doing to help others.”
“I connect refugees with English tutors”
Mahmoud, a second-year medical student in Syria, is passionate about helping students whose education was interrupted by war.
He has been helping some 30 students follow weekly one-on-one English lessons with native-speaking tutors. He has learned so much along the way that he is about to become a tutor himself.
With years of volunteering experience under his belt, Mahmoud’s message is: “Everyone should volunteer because the world needs you.”
“I was inspired by my best friend to fight for the rights of refugees”
Sharon first learned about refugees through her best friend, an Ethiopian refugee. “She’s the smartest person I know in the entire world,” she says.
Her friend inspired her to join her school’s Model UN and chair a committee with 80 students to debate policies to protect the rights of refugee women. She submitted their ideas to UNHCR as part of the MUN Refugee Challenge.
Now completing a paper on refugee law for her degree, and reflecting on her own growth, Sharon would like to tell other young people that they don’t have to know everything before they take the first step to help refugees.
“I helped 10 asylum-seekers apply for refugee status”
Zihan volunteers to help asylum-seekers gain access to professional legal services.
In his calls with them, he often asks, “When did you arrive in Europe? What countries have you passed through? Why did you have to flee?”
He then finds legal professionals best suited to assist each individual throughout the asylum process.
He feels grateful to play his part in helping refugees get a fresh start in a new country. “I think understanding that we all have shared experiences is a really important force that binds us together.”
“I want to use blockchain to help refugees”
When Regina was in high school, she started exploring how blockchain technology could alleviate the financial difficulties that refugees were facing in her hometown of Monterrey, Mexico.
She looked into refugee-focused blockchain models in Jordan and Finland and interviewed refugees about the obstacles they face finding jobs and opening bank accounts.
She recently presented her research at a major tech congress, arguing that blockchain can boost trust between refugees, banks and host governments.
Reflecting on her journey, Regina says, “Keep trying because everyone can do something to contribute.”
“I created a non-profit to spark conversations about refugees”
Aryan was inspired to start advocating for refugees after listening to the stories of his grandmother, who had to flee Uganda in search of safety.
Starting out with just his laptop and an Instagram account, he founded Forced to Flee, a nonprofit that organizes conversations between young people and experts. They have even hosted former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon!
Aryan encourages young people to start supporting refugees however they can.
“Whether that’s posting on social media or educating yourself about refugees,” he says, “you will find like-minded people along your journey and you can work together to make a difference.”
“I make eco-friendly sanitary napkins with refugee women”
When she heard that there were refugee camps not far from her own home, Kashvi decided to start giving some of her time to help others in her community.
She currently volunteers in a refugee camp in Southern Delhi to raise awareness about menstrual hygiene. There, she leads workshops with Afghan refugee women to make eco-friendly menstrual health kits.
Kashvi reflects on her time in the refugee camp: “You get to build a community and that stays with you.”
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Everyone has a part to play in building a world welcoming of refugees. Young people are rolling up their sleeves by volunteering their time, sharing their creativity, and adding their brilliance in support of some of the most vulnerable among us — those forced to flee.
If you are interested in joining our growing network of young champions, click here.
Written by UNHCR Communications Intern Taraneh Kelishadi and UNHCR Communications Officer Pauline Eluère
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.
