Full of Hope: One Refugee’s Journey of Survival, Resilience, and Education Event
January 22, New York, New York — This February, Fordham University’s Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs is co-sponsoring the event Full of Hope: One Refugee’s Journey of Survival, Resilience, and Education with Jesuit Refugee Services/USA.
Leo J. O’Donovan, S.J., the Director of Mission for Jesuit Refugee Services/USA highlights, “In a world with over 68.5 million refugees and forcibly displaced persons, some voices are particularly eloquent in helping us to understand the enormity of the problem and the rich talent we risk losing in these brothers and sisters of ours. Young Dr. Mireille Twayigira, a refugee who learned medicine in China, is such a voice. Come to hear her story and have your hope reborn.”
This event will showcase an engaging talk from Dr. Mireille Twayigira whose story is one of both survival and resilience. A refugee who had to flee from conflict, Mireille spent much of her early childhood in search of a home. After a tragic and difficult journey in which she lost her sister, mother, and grandmother, Mireille found hope through education. Mireille received an education through Jesuit Refugee Service at Dzaleka camp in Malawi, which led to a scholarship to medical school in China. Now Mireille, who says she was “meant to serve others,” uses her medical degree and her story to help others heal and maintain hope.
Brendan Cahill, the Executive Director of Fordham’s IIHA, said, “Jesuit Refugee Service is a key partner of our Institute, and we have helped train their staff, and shared research on education in emergencies, for many years. Mireille’s story is both uplifting and humbling — education should be there for all, and it is this absolute right to education for all that we must advocate for.”
Join Jesuit Refugee Service/USA in New York, NY to hear Mireille’s inspiring story and what can be done to ensure more children forced to flee from crisis and conflict can receive an education and an opportunity for a hopeful future.
Event Details:
February 28, 2019
Fordham University Lincoln Center, Lowenstein Building, 12th Floor
6:30 PM Reception, 7:00 PM Program begins
Please RSVP on JRS’s website here: https://www.jrsusa.org/event/full-of-hope-new-york-ny/
About the IIHA:
The Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs (IIHA) prepares current and future aid workers with the knowledge and skills needed to respond effectively in times of humanitarian crisis and disaster. Our courses are borne of an interdisciplinary curriculum that combines academic theory with the practical experience of seasoned humanitarian professionals. The IIHA also publishes on a wide range of humanitarian topics and regularly hosts a number of events in the New York area, including the annual Humanitarian Blockchain Summit and Design for Humanity Summit.
For more information or media inquiries please contact:
Camille Giacovas
Communications & Research Officer
cgiacovas@fordham.edu
