@rescueorg

Happy ! With the right support, girls can change the world. Today, meet three Syrian refugee girls in Lebanon who – against all odds – are working to keep up with their education to achieve their dreams. ⭐️Meet Joumana, who dreams of becoming a journalist: "I want to work for peace. My favorite subjects in school are math and social and emotional knowledge. Through those classes, I have learned how to relate and talk to others. I learned not to hit other children and instead be a peacemaker if something should happen. If I see someone crying, I always try to do everything I can to help them. ” ⭐️Meet Widad, who aspires to be a lawyer: “I love learning new things - it makes me feel important. It makes me feel good when I can read when I come to new places.” Widad plans to become a lawyer when she grows older, but her ambition does not stop there. “I get happy when I can help others. I will make the world a cleaner place and cook good and tasty food so that people feel safe and happy. I want to open more centers like this to be able to offer education to as many children as possible. ” ⭐️ Meet Gharam (pictured here with her mother), who hopes to become a teacher: “The teachers make me believe in myself. The way they listen to children and help them - I want to do it when I grow up. I hope that the situation will improve so that I can return to Syria - and that I will become a teacher, just like the teachers here at the center." Gharam's advice to other girls in the same situation as herself is clear. "I tell them to keep going to school so that their dreams can come true." Leave a ⭐️ below if you agree every refugee girl has the right to a bright future! Learn more about our work to make education available during the pandemic with support from @eu_echo at the link in our bio.

Mental health matters— especially during a pandemic. 🤲 This , we spoke to refugees living in camps on the Greek islands who are receiving counselling from our team of psychologists. Swipe 👉 to read their powerful words. Their testimonies show the power of mental health support. Even in the darkest of times, it can help people pull through. At the IRC, we’re proud to make mental health a priority throughout and beyond. Share this post to raise their voices and to spread the word that there’s no health without mental health.

When we make , they make our lives—and communities—better. 💛 Jacqueline, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, arrived in Boise, Idaho after fleeing violence and found friendship in her pastor Jenny and neighbor Chris. Here is what her friends—who became family—have to say about Jacqueline and the positive contributions refugees make when we welcome them in: “I don’t think we can quantify the impact that refugee resettlement has had on Boise. From businesses to innovative ideas...that all makes us better people. And that’s what we need to express loud and clear to those in our country—it’s not taking away, it’s adding to who we are,” Jenny shared with us. “Once you know them, you just want to hang out with them,” Chris told us. Comment a 💛 below if you, too, believe in the power of making refugees welcome! Click the link in our bio to read Jacqueline, Jenny and Chris’ full story.

👏 Round of applause for all of our teachers during the pandemic. 👏 This , we celebrate IRC teachers around the world, working tirelessly to ensure that kids continue to learn during the pandemic. While school is going to look a lot different this year, one thing will remain the same: Our commitment to refugee children and their families. Watch to learn how our team in Seattle is supporting refugee students who recently arrived to the U.S. build academic and English language skills while schools are closed. Leave a 👏 below to show your appreciation for our teachers!

Happy birthday to IRC Voice @iamlenaheadey! Thank you, Lena, for being a fearless advocate for refugees around the world. One of our favorite moments with Lena is when she befriended Marwa, a Syrian refugee and fellow mother. Lena first met Marwa and her family in 2016 when visiting IRC programs in Greece with her @gameofthrones fellow cast members @maisie_williams and @liamcunningham1. Marwa had just fled Syria and, after a long journey, arrived in Greece on a boat. Two years later, when Marwa and her family had found safety and a welcoming home in Germany, Lena came to visit them (and Marwa’s then newborn baby!). Swipe for the before and after of their special reunion. 💛 Last week, Lena reacted to the tragic news of a fire in Moria camp, Greece and called on Europe to help vulnerable refugees which you can read at the link in our bio. Today and every day, we’re proud to have Lena in the IRC’s family! Please join us in wishing Lena a happy birthday below.

Exactly 25 years ago today, then-First Lady @hillaryclinton told an audience of world leaders and activists gathered in Beijing for the Fourth World Conference for Women: “Human rights are women's rights….And women's rights are human rights.” That conference resulted in more than a famous speech: it produced the Beijing Platform for Action, a roadmap for gender equality across the globe. 25 years later, how far have we *truly* come in advancing women’s rights? Watch to learn about the progress that has been made since 1995 — and the work that still needs to be done. At the IRC, we’ll never stop fighting to bridge the gender gap to give ALL women, including refugees, the power to succeed.

Yes. They. Are. ✊ Today marks 25 years since then-First Lady @hillaryclinton said these revolutionary words at the Fourth World Conference for Women in Beijing. At the IRC, around the world and across all of our programs, we place a unique focus on women and girls and are proud to work everyday to make sure equality is a reality. Share this post if you stand with us in fighting for a world where women are given an equal chance to succeed!

“The most important thing is friendship. It’s an extraordinary gift.” As part of our 👐 Stories of Welcome 👐 series, meet Robert and his friend, Dave— who later became family 💛. Robert is a refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who was resettled by the IRC with his family in Boise, Idaho. This is their story of friendship and welcome. “Refugees are people who have gone through many struggles. We share similar experiences, no matter what color we are. They need a welcome,” Robert told us. Despite the proven and positive benefits of making , the number of refugees allowed to enter the U.S. in its resettlement program is the lowest ever in history. Now, the U.S. Administration has 1 day to announce the new cap. It's clear: America's bipartisan legacy of welcome is at risk. Join us in standing for a U.S. that upholds its long-standing tradition of welcome by commenting ‘I ’ below.

“What a man can do, a woman should do too.” We couldn’t agree more. Women – including those who are displaced refugees – have opinions and expertise and we need to listen *TO* them instead of deciding *FOR* them. Meet South Sudanese refugee and Ugandan women’s rights activists who are, together, working to stop violence against women, as part of our Listen Up project with @statedept @stateprm. It’s time to listen up to women demanding change. Share this post to help make sure their voices are heard!

This month in the U.S. has had its challenges with , but educational access has long been a challenge in conflict-affected countries where refugee children are 5 times as likely to be out of school as their peers. In fact, our recent study shows that 86% of children in developing countries won’t have a school to go to. 50% of refugee girls won’t be back to the school they were in before COVID. At the IRC, we believe education is a lifeline – not a luxury – for children in crisis. Learn about our work with education in this video from our president.

✊ Women’s rights activists in Uganda are taking down the patriarchy. ✊ ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ As part of the IRC’s Listen Up program with @statedept @stateprm - which aims to both listen *to* women and girls who are displaced (instead of deciding *for* them) and to amplify their voices - South Sudanese refugees and Ugandan change-makers are working together so that women and girls can live free from violence. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Swipe 👉 and read below to meet some of these activists we’re proud to work with: ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ ✊ Jemimah Sadia, a refugee from South Sudan, is the founder of Togoleta, a women’s activist group in Bidi Bidi camp (the second largest in the world) that provides counseling to refugees in the camp to prevent violence and help women and girls recover from abuse. Building up her grass-roots women’s movement has been a huge part of her life since she found safety in Uganda.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ ✊Grace Muuduru has been standing up for women since she was at school. She remembers confronting boys bullying her friend and telling them: ‘One day this girl could be President!’ Today, she works for COSMESS, a women’s rights group in northern Uganda that helps both refugees and Ugandan women.⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ ✊ Jackie Letaru is a teacher in Uganda who challenges sexism in her classroom. “I’m a feminist, a strong one,” she said. She cultivates a culture where girls know their value and are respected. “One of my responsibilities at the school is being a leader to girls. Education is a key to their success.” ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ ✊ Foni Grace fled war in South Sudan to Uganda in 2016, taking her two daughters with her to Bidi Bidi camp. Today, she’s a member of Togoleta, the group founded by Jemimah (above). “My work for women will be permanent. I feel I have to continue with my work in activism.” ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Women and girls, and particularly those living as refugees, are not passive recipients of humanitarian aid, but activists with their own ideas and motivations. At the IRC, we are proud to work alongside activists like Jemimah, Grace, Jackie and Foni to make equality a reality. ⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ Read more of their stories in the link in our bio. Leave a ✊ below if you, too, believe women’s rights are human rights!⁠

….and so much more. Refugees are human beings. Human beings forced to flee. At the IRC, we will never, ever give up on refugees. Comment below if you, too, .