First Person Narratives:Refugees and displaced communities
First-Person Narratives: Refugees and Displaced Communities
The history of refugees and displaced communities is often told through wars, government policies, international agreements, and humanitarian statistics. Yet behind every displacement figure are individuals and families whose lives have been transformed by conflict, persecution, political upheaval, environmental disasters, and economic insecurity.
First-person narratives provide an essential perspective on these experiences. Oral histories, personal testimonies, diaries, family memories, photographs, and eyewitness accounts reveal what displacement means in everyday life. They document not only the circumstances that force people from their homes but also the difficult decisions, personal losses, cultural adjustments, and acts of resilience that follow.
The collected narratives presented here encompass refugee and displaced communities across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas. They include accounts of people escaping civil wars, ethnic persecution, genocide, political repression, and natural disasters, as well as individuals attempting to rebuild their lives in refugee camps, temporary settlements, unfamiliar cities, and new countries.
These stories demonstrate that displacement is not a single event. It is frequently a prolonged process involving separation, uncertainty, adaptation, and sometimes repeated flight.
They also challenge the tendency to portray refugees solely as victims. Many narrators emerge as community leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, parents, artists, advocates, and organizers who actively shape their own futures.
Understanding Refugees and Forced Displacement
Forced displacement occurs when individuals or communities must leave their homes because remaining would expose them to serious threats.
These threats may include armed conflict, persecution, widespread violence, human rights violations, or disasters.
Several categories help explain the different experiences represented in refugee narratives:
- Refugees: People who have crossed an international border and meet the applicable legal definition of refugee, including those fleeing persecution.
- Internally displaced persons: People forced to leave their homes who remain within their country's internationally recognized borders.
- Asylum seekers: Individuals seeking international protection whose claims have not yet been finally determined.
- Stateless persons: Individuals not considered nationals by any state under the operation of its laws.
- Returnees: Refugees or displaced individuals who return to their countries or communities of origin.
- Resettled refugees: Individuals transferred from a country of asylum to another country that agrees to admit them.
These categories sometimes overlap, but they describe different legal and social circumstances.
Personal accounts reveal that official classifications rarely capture the full complexity of displacement. A person may experience internal displacement, cross international borders, spend years in a refugee camp, return home, and eventually become displaced again.
For many families, forced migration becomes a defining experience across several generations.
African Refugees and Displaced Communities
African refugee narratives document displacement arising from civil wars, political violence, ethnic persecution, environmental disasters, and prolonged regional instability.
Accounts from Sudan and South Sudan describe families fleeing armed attacks, escaping destroyed villages, and struggling with recurring insecurity.
Some individuals have experienced multiple episodes of displacement, moving between Sudan, South Sudan, Chad, Kenya, and neighboring countries.
Stories from the Democratic Republic of Congo reveal the effects of armed conflict, family separation, gender-based violence, disability, and economic disruption.
Congolese refugees describe losing relatives, escaping dangerous environments, and attempting to establish new lives in refugee camps or urban communities.
Somali testimonies illustrate how armed conflict, drought, famine, and insecurity can combine to force families from their homes.
Many accounts describe journeys toward refugee settlements in Kenya, particularly Dadaab and Kakuma.
Narratives from Burundi, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and the Central African Republic similarly document cycles of conflict, displacement, and uncertain return.
Across these experiences, recurring themes include:
- Separation from family members during sudden flight.
- Loss of homes, farmland, livestock, and livelihoods.
- Dangerous journeys across international borders.
- Life in temporary shelters and refugee camps.
- Interrupted education and limited employment opportunities.
- Challenges faced by women, children, older adults, and people with disabilities.
- The difficulty of returning to communities transformed by violence.
These testimonies demonstrate both the regional interconnectedness of African displacement and the deeply personal consequences of political instability.
Refugee Oral Histories and Personal Testimony
Oral history projects preserve experiences that might otherwise disappear from the historical record.
Recorded interviews allow refugees to describe events in their own words, including the emotions, relationships, cultural traditions, and memories that conventional historical documents may overlook.
Collections such as StoryCorps preserve conversations between refugees, relatives, friends, and community members.
These interviews frequently explore childhood memories, family migration, refugee-camp experiences, educational opportunities, and the transition to life in unfamiliar societies.
Unlike official reports, oral histories often emphasize intimate details.
A narrator might remember the final conversation with a parent before fleeing, the difficulty of learning a new language, or the first experience of safety after years of insecurity.
Such memories provide insight into how individuals interpret their experiences over time.
Oral histories are also important for preserving intergenerational knowledge.
Children and grandchildren may learn about family displacement through conversations with older relatives, creating a connection between personal biography and broader historical events.
However, oral testimony requires careful historical interpretation. Memories may change over time, traumatic experiences may be difficult to recount, and narrators may emphasize different aspects of the same event.
These considerations do not diminish the importance of personal testimony. Instead, they highlight the value of examining oral histories alongside other evidence.
Syrian Refugees and the Consequences of Civil War
The Syrian conflict produced extensive displacement within Syria and across international borders.
Personal narratives document the destruction of homes, separation of relatives, interrupted education, and prolonged uncertainty experienced by displaced Syrian families.
Refugees describe seeking safety in Lebanon, Jordan, Türkiye, Europe, and other destinations.
Some accounts focus on survival during the initial flight from violence. Others examine everyday life after displacement, including employment, education, health care, housing, and social integration.
The experiences of older refugees and people with disabilities demonstrate how displacement can intensify existing vulnerabilities.
For families with young children, access to schooling and medical treatment frequently becomes a central concern.
Yet Syrian narratives also describe attempts to recover ordinary life through sports, employment, creative activities, and community relationships.
These stories illustrate how refugees seek continuity and dignity despite profound disruptions.
Afghan Refugees: Decades of Exile and Return
Afghan refugee narratives reflect successive periods of conflict, political upheaval, and forced migration.
For many families, displacement has continued across multiple decades and generations.
Accounts describe life in Pakistan, efforts to obtain education, barriers to professional advancement, and the difficult choices involved in returning to Afghanistan.
Women's testimonies are especially important in documenting educational restrictions, employment challenges, family responsibilities, and efforts to preserve professional ambitions.
Some former refugees have become teachers, medical professionals, writers, and community advocates.
Their experiences demonstrate that refugee histories include not only departure and loss but also personal achievement and contributions to host communities.
Narratives of return reveal additional complications.
Individuals may discover that family homes have disappeared, livelihoods have been disrupted, or security conditions remain uncertain.
Returning to one's country of origin does not necessarily mean returning to the life that existed before displacement.
Rohingya Refugees and Displacement in Myanmar
Rohingya refugee accounts document ethnic persecution, violence, statelessness, and displacement from Myanmar.
Survivors describe fleeing attacks, abandoning homes, crossing dangerous terrain, and seeking refuge in neighboring countries, particularly Bangladesh.
Many families have experienced prolonged residence in refugee settlements with limited opportunities for employment, education, or freedom of movement.
Personal narratives reveal the consequences of living without secure citizenship or reliable legal protection.
They also highlight the importance of family networks, religious traditions, cultural identity, and community memory.
Other displaced communities in Myanmar, including those affected by conflict in Kachin State, describe evacuation, interrupted livelihoods, and recurring insecurity.
Together, these accounts demonstrate that displacement in Myanmar affects multiple ethnic and regional populations, although their particular histories and legal circumstances differ.
Ukrainian Refugees and Wartime Displacement
Ukrainian refugee narratives document the consequences of armed conflict, particularly the large-scale displacement associated with Russia's full-scale invasion beginning in February 2022.
Eyewitness accounts describe sudden evacuations, damaged homes, family separation, and the uncertainty of leaving familiar communities.
Women, children, older adults, and people with disabilities often describe additional difficulties in obtaining transportation, accommodation, medical assistance, and financial support.
Some displaced Ukrainians have remained within the country, while others have sought protection abroad.
Personal testimonies reveal the emotional consequences of displacement, including grief, anxiety, disrupted family relationships, and uncertainty about returning home.
They also describe mutual assistance, volunteer networks, temporary housing arrangements, and efforts to maintain education and employment.
Stories of rebuilding demonstrate how displaced people create new routines while continuing to maintain strong attachments to their places of origin.
Palestinian Refugees: Family Memory and Intergenerational Displacement
Palestinian refugee narratives provide personal perspectives on displacement, exile, family history, and the preservation of community identity.
Oral histories and family testimonies frequently recount the loss of homes, villages, property, and established ways of life.
Many families preserve memories of displacement through photographs, letters, recorded interviews, inherited objects, and stories passed between generations.
These personal records are important sources for understanding how historical events continue to shape family identity.
For descendants of displaced Palestinians, places they have never personally visited may remain central to their understanding of home and belonging.
Accounts of refugee-camp life also document the development of community institutions, educational networks, cultural organizations, and systems of mutual support.
Palestinian testimonies show how displacement can remain a defining historical experience long after the original generation has died.
Cambodian Genocide Survivors and Refugees
The Cambodian genocide and subsequent displacement produced deeply traumatic experiences for survivors and their families.
First-person accounts describe persecution, forced labor, hunger, family separation, and the loss of relatives under the Khmer Rouge.
Many survivors subsequently fled Cambodia and spent time in refugee camps before resettling elsewhere.
Personal testimonies document both the immediate experiences of violence and the long-term consequences of trauma.
Survivors frequently describe the difficulty of rebuilding family life after losing relatives, communities, and educational opportunities.
Oral histories also reveal how Cambodian refugees preserved cultural traditions, languages, religious practices, and family memories in countries of resettlement.
These accounts contribute to historical understanding by recording experiences that may not appear in official political or military histories.
Vietnamese Boat Refugees and Southeast Asian Displacement
Vietnamese refugee narratives describe dangerous departures following the Vietnam War and the political transformations that followed.
Many individuals escaped by sea, often aboard overcrowded vessels with limited food, water, or navigation equipment.
Personal accounts document storms, piracy, illness, separation, and uncertain arrival in neighboring countries.
Refugee camps in Southeast Asia became temporary homes for people awaiting decisions about resettlement or return.
The experiences of Vietnamese boat refugees illustrate the difficult choices faced by individuals who considered the risks of remaining at home greater than those of dangerous migration.
Narratives from Laos and other Southeast Asian communities similarly describe political upheaval, refugee camps, family separation, and cultural adjustment.
After resettlement, many families confronted language barriers, unfamiliar institutions, and the challenge of preserving cultural identity while adapting to new societies.
Bosnian War Refugees and Displaced Families
The wars accompanying the breakup of Yugoslavia displaced large numbers of civilians during the 1990s.
Bosnian refugee testimonies describe ethnic persecution, siege conditions, destroyed communities, detention, family separation, and forced migration.
Personal narratives demonstrate how violence transformed relationships among neighbors and disrupted communities that had existed for generations.
Survivors often recount the difficulty of establishing new lives after losing homes and relatives.
For some, resettlement provided safety but also created lasting feelings of exile and disconnection.
Oral histories preserve the experiences of civilians whose lives were shaped by nationalist violence and ethnic cleansing.
They also demonstrate the importance of remembrance, documentation, and historical accountability.
Holocaust Survivors and Historical Displaced Persons
Historical refugee narratives place contemporary displacement within a longer global history.
Accounts from Holocaust survivors document persecution, escape, hiding, imprisonment, family separation, and the destruction of Jewish communities under Nazi rule.
Following World War II, many survivors and other displaced persons spent extended periods in temporary camps while seeking permanent homes.
Their testimonies describe the difficulty of reconstructing lives after war, genocide, and the loss of family networks.
Personal records may include diaries, correspondence, photographs, identification documents, and recorded interviews.
These materials preserve individual experiences while contributing to the historical record of persecution, migration, and international responses to humanitarian emergencies.
Historical refugee narratives also show that the challenges of documentation, family reunification, resettlement, and rebuilding livelihoods are not unique to contemporary crises.
Bhutanese Refugees: Exile and Resettlement
Bhutanese refugee narratives document displacement connected to ethnic tensions, citizenship policies, and political exclusion.
Many Bhutanese refugees spent years in camps in Nepal before obtaining opportunities for resettlement.
Accounts describe the difficulties of prolonged camp residence, interrupted economic opportunities, family responsibilities, and uncertainty about the future.
Resettlement introduced new possibilities while creating challenges involving language, employment, cultural adaptation, and generational differences.
Older refugees sometimes describe the loss of familiar environments and social networks, while younger family members may experience greater integration into their new communities.
These testimonies illustrate how displacement changes family relationships and cultural identity over time.
Eritrean Refugees: Political Repression and Dangerous Journeys
Eritrean refugee experiences frequently involve accounts of political repression, indefinite national service, restricted freedoms, and dangerous migration routes.
Personal testimonies describe separation from relatives, journeys across deserts and international borders, and the risks associated with smugglers and trafficking networks.
Some refugees recount detention, exploitation, or violence during their journeys.
Others focus on the difficulties of obtaining legal protection and rebuilding their lives after reaching safety.
These narratives reveal how the decision to flee may involve weighing severe dangers against uncertain prospects for freedom and security.
They also demonstrate the psychological consequences of prolonged uncertainty and separation.
Somali Refugees: Drought, Conflict, and Camp Life
Somali displacement narratives reveal the combined effects of armed conflict, drought, famine, and limited access to basic services.
Families describe leaving agricultural or pastoral livelihoods behind when insecurity or environmental conditions made survival impossible.
Refugee settlements such as Dadaab became important destinations for displaced Somali communities.
Personal accounts document the everyday challenges of obtaining food, water, shelter, education, and health care.
Women frequently describe responsibility for children and vulnerable relatives during displacement.
Refugee narratives also illustrate community organization, entrepreneurship, educational aspirations, and efforts to maintain cultural traditions.
Some individuals have spent much of their lives in refugee settlements, demonstrating how temporary displacement can become a long-term condition.
Yazidi Displacement and the Preservation of Community Memory
Yazidi survivor testimonies document persecution and displacement associated with attacks by ISIS in Iraq.
Accounts describe violent assaults, family separation, captivity, and the destruction of homes and communities.
Survivors have also documented efforts to escape persecution, reunite with relatives, and rebuild their lives.
Personal narratives are essential for understanding the experiences of women and children subjected to extreme violence.
They also preserve the cultural and religious identity of a community profoundly affected by persecution.
For displaced Yazidis, the preservation of memory is closely connected to demands for recognition, accountability, and justice.
Central African Republic: Repeated Displacement
Refugee narratives from the Central African Republic describe the consequences of recurring violence, political instability, and insecurity.
Families recount fleeing armed groups, abandoning villages, and seeking safety in other communities or neighboring countries.
Some individuals have experienced repeated displacement as violence spreads to previously safe areas.
Personal accounts reveal the difficulties of maintaining family livelihoods, obtaining education, and accessing health services.
They also describe the relationships between displaced people and host communities, including cooperation, resource pressures, and shared efforts to rebuild.
These narratives demonstrate how prolonged insecurity can transform displacement into a recurring feature of everyday life.
Colombian Displacement and Indigenous Communities
Colombia's history of internal displacement has affected rural communities, Indigenous peoples, Afro-Colombian populations, and urban residents.
Personal testimonies describe forced departures connected to armed conflict, threats, territorial disputes, and violence.
Rural families frequently recount losing access to farmland, homes, and traditional livelihoods.
Displaced individuals moving to cities may encounter unemployment, inadequate housing, discrimination, and unfamiliar social conditions.
Indigenous communities face additional challenges when displacement separates them from ancestral territories, cultural practices, and community institutions.
Narratives also document the experiences of women and LGBTQ+ individuals who confront overlapping forms of vulnerability.
Stories of land restitution and community rebuilding reveal the importance of property rights, local identity, and long-term recovery.
Venezuelan Refugees and Displaced Families
Venezuelan refugee and migrant narratives describe departures associated with economic collapse, political instability, insecurity, and failures in essential services.
Personal accounts frequently focus on family survival, access to medicine, employment, and the challenges of traveling across international borders.
Pregnant women and families with young children describe the importance of reliable health care.
Indigenous Venezuelan communities face distinct challenges involving language, cultural practices, traditional livelihoods, and integration into host societies.
Other testimonies describe entrepreneurship, psychological support, community organizing, and efforts to rebuild economic independence.
These experiences demonstrate that displaced Venezuelans encounter varied circumstances depending on their legal status, family situation, and destination.
Burundian Refugees: Conflict, Exile, and Return
Burundian refugee accounts document displacement associated with political conflict, ethnic violence, and recurring instability.
Some families have experienced decades of exile, while others fled during more recent crises.
Personal narratives describe life in refugee settlements, community support, and the emotional consequences of separation from home.
Stories of return reveal the complex realities of reintegration.
Returning refugees may face land disputes, inadequate housing, limited employment, and difficulties reestablishing relationships with local communities.
Cultural expression, including theater and storytelling, sometimes provides ways for displaced individuals to process their experiences and communicate with others.
These accounts demonstrate that successful return requires more than the physical journey home.
Rwandan and Congolese Refugees
Narratives from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo reveal the long-term consequences of regional conflict, persecution, and displacement.
Survivors describe family loss, sexual violence, psychological trauma, and the difficulties of reconstructing ordinary life.
Other testimonies emphasize education, community entrepreneurship, and the development of economic independence.
Women refugees frequently emerge as central figures in rebuilding family livelihoods and strengthening community support networks.
Stories from refugee settlements in Rwanda also illustrate the experiences of people displaced from neighboring countries.
Together, these accounts show how regional displacement crosses national boundaries and creates interconnected refugee histories.
Life in Refugee Camps and Temporary Settlements
Refugee camps are often established as emergency responses to displacement, yet some remain inhabited for years or decades.
First-person narratives reveal the contrast between the intended temporary nature of these settlements and the prolonged realities of refugee life.
Residents describe difficulties involving:
- Overcrowded housing and inadequate infrastructure.
- Limited access to water, sanitation, and electricity.
- Interrupted or restricted education.
- Scarce employment opportunities.
- Dependence on humanitarian assistance.
- Restrictions on movement.
- Uncertainty about legal status and future resettlement.
- Separation from relatives and familiar communities.
However, refugee camps are also places where complex social relationships develop.
Residents establish schools, businesses, religious organizations, cultural activities, and informal support networks.
Children may be born and raised in camps without ever having lived in their parents' country of origin.
These experiences complicate conventional understandings of home, nationality, and belonging.
Women, Children, and Family Separation
Women and children experience particular consequences of forced displacement.
First-person narratives document the dangers of traveling with young children, obtaining maternal health care, protecting family members, and maintaining access to education.
Women may become primary caregivers and providers when family members are killed, detained, missing, or separated.
Children frequently describe interrupted schooling, the loss of familiar environments, and uncertainty about relatives.
Some young refugees assume adult responsibilities at an early age.
Family reunification can be complicated by missing documents, international borders, legal procedures, and limited communication.
Yet these narratives also document the determination of parents and caregivers to provide stability and opportunities for the next generation.
Disability, Aging, and Vulnerability During Displacement
Refugees with disabilities and older displaced persons may experience additional barriers to safety and assistance.
Personal testimonies describe difficulties evacuating during emergencies, obtaining medical treatment, accessing transportation, and living in unsuitable shelters.
People with hearing, mobility, or other disabilities may encounter inaccessible information and limited services.
Older refugees may face the loss of lifelong homes, support networks, and cultural surroundings.
These experiences demonstrate the importance of understanding displacement through individual circumstances rather than treating refugee populations as uniform groups.
They also reveal how displaced individuals with disabilities contribute to advocacy, community organization, and mutual assistance.
Education, Employment, and Rebuilding Livelihoods
Education and employment appear repeatedly in first-person refugee narratives as foundations for rebuilding lives.
Young refugees describe studying in difficult circumstances, obtaining scholarships, and pursuing professional ambitions despite interruptions caused by displacement.
Adults recount efforts to establish businesses, acquire new skills, and support their families in unfamiliar economies.
Examples include teaching, medicine, filmmaking, handicrafts, entrepreneurship, and community services.
These activities provide economic benefits but also contribute to personal dignity and independence.
At the same time, refugees may confront legal restrictions, language barriers, discrimination, and difficulties obtaining recognition for previous qualifications.
Personal stories demonstrate how access to education and meaningful employment can shape long-term integration and well-being.
Return, Resettlement, and the Meaning of Home
Returning home is often portrayed as the natural conclusion of displacement.
Personal narratives reveal a more complicated reality.
Homes may have been destroyed, property occupied, local economies disrupted, or communities transformed by prolonged conflict.
Some returnees encounter renewed insecurity and become displaced again.
Others decide that returning would place their families at unacceptable risk.
Resettlement in another country provides an alternative pathway but introduces its own challenges.
Refugees may have to learn new languages, navigate unfamiliar institutions, establish employment, and adapt to different cultural expectations.
For many, the meaning of home becomes connected to multiple locations.
A person may maintain deep emotional ties to a country of origin while developing a strong sense of belonging in a new community.
These experiences illustrate that displacement can permanently reshape identity, family history, and cultural memory.
Preserving Refugee Histories Through Primary Sources
First-person narratives form part of a broader historical record that includes many different kinds of evidence.
Important sources include:
- Oral histories: Recorded interviews preserving personal memories and experiences.
- Diaries and personal letters: Contemporary accounts of flight, exile, and daily life.
- Family photographs: Visual evidence of individuals, communities, homes, journeys, and resettlement.
- Folk songs and storytelling: Cultural expressions preserving collective experiences of displacement.
- Community newspapers: Local reporting documenting refugee organizations, events, and changing conditions.
- Eyewitness testimony: Accounts of conflict, persecution, migration, and survival.
- Material culture: Clothing, household objects, identification papers, and other possessions associated with displacement.
- Public records: Immigration documents, refugee registrations, property records, and other archival materials that help reconstruct overlooked lives.
These different kinds of evidence complement one another.
A recorded interview may explain the personal meaning of an event, while a photograph, letter, or public record may provide additional historical context.
Preserving these materials helps ensure that refugee communities remain active participants in the interpretation of their own histories.
Historical Significance of First-Person Refugee Narratives
Refugee narratives contribute to historical understanding in several important ways.
First, they reveal how major political and military events affect ordinary people.
Second, they document experiences that may be underrepresented in official archives, especially those of women, children, marginalized communities, and people without political influence.
Third, they preserve cultural knowledge and family memories that might otherwise be lost through displacement and generational change.
Fourth, they demonstrate the diversity of refugee experiences.
Individuals displaced by the same conflict may have very different memories depending on their age, gender, social circumstances, location, and subsequent experiences.
Finally, these testimonies help explain the long-term social consequences of forced migration.
Displacement affects not only the individuals who flee but also their descendants, host communities, countries of origin, and societies of resettlement.
Interpreting Refugee Testimonies Responsibly
First-person narratives are invaluable historical sources, but they should be interpreted with care.
An individual account represents the experiences and perspective of its narrator. It should not automatically be treated as representative of an entire refugee population.
Published testimonies may also be shaped by interview questions, translation, editing, institutional priorities, or the circumstances in which they were recorded.
Historical researchers should distinguish firsthand statements from accompanying journalistic or organizational descriptions.
Whenever possible, personal accounts should be considered alongside contemporaneous records, independent investigations, and other testimonies.
The privacy, dignity, and safety of narrators are especially important when accounts involve persecution, sexual violence, children, or ongoing threats.
A responsible historical approach respects the agency of refugees while acknowledging the complexity of documenting traumatic experiences.
Conclusion
The first-person narratives of refugees and displaced communities reveal the human consequences of some of the most consequential events in modern history.
From African civil wars and Middle Eastern conflicts to European displacement, Southeast Asian refugee journeys, and migration throughout the Americas, these accounts demonstrate how war, persecution, political instability, and environmental crises transform individual lives.
Despite differences in geography, culture, and historical circumstances, recurring themes connect these experiences: the loss of home, separation from loved ones, uncertainty about the future, and the struggle to rebuild a meaningful life.
Yet these narratives are not solely records of suffering.
They also document courage, cooperation, creativity, family commitment, education, entrepreneurship, and the determination to preserve identity and community.
The experiences of refugees remind us that displaced people are not simply the subjects of humanitarian policies or international statistics. They are individuals with personal histories, relationships, aspirations, memories, and contributions to society.
Preserving their accounts strengthens the historical record by placing ordinary people at the center of events that are too often described primarily through governments, armies, and institutions.
Through oral histories, diaries, letters, photographs, community records, and eyewitness testimony, these voices help future generations understand both the profound costs of forced displacement and the enduring human capacity to adapt, rebuild, and maintain hope.
African Refugees and Displaced Communities
Aziza describes her escape from Sudan and arrival at a transit centre in Chad.
Nyapuot Riak Dup recalls an attack on her home and the insecurity of displacement.
Refugees explain why continuing violence prevents them from returning to Sudan.
4. | Monicah Malith | UNHCR | 2023
A South Sudanese refugee recounts escaping conflict, overcoming obstacles to education, and becoming a student leader in Nairobi.
5. | Isadora Zoni | UNHCR | 2023
Nyalan Goldit recalls walking to Sudan while pregnant and later losing her refugee shelter to flooding.
South Sudanese refugees describe being forced to flee again when war erupted in Sudan.
Displaced South Sudanese describe the emotional difficulties of returning to damaged communities.
8. | Modesta Ndubi | UNHCR | 2020
Rawda Yusuf describes fleeing Darfur, returning from Chad, and discovering that her land was occupied.
9. | South Sudanese Refugee | UNHCR | 2019
A young woman remembers displacement, life in Dadaab, and the dangers faced by girls without parental protection.
A South Sudanese man recalls childhood displacement and his efforts to assist refugee children.
Ali and Zuleika recount separation while fleeing violence in Nigeria and reunion in Chad.
Alem describes fleeing ethnic violence in Ethiopia and supporting herself and her daughter in Kenya.
Mwavita describes persecution, exile, and becoming a leader in Tanzania's Nyarugusu camp.
Displaced Congolese and Somali women describe rebuilding livelihoods through sewing and handicrafts.
A young Congolese refugee discusses disability, displacement, and rebuilding his independence.
Adieu Chol Bior recalls an attack on her South Sudanese village and her experiences of displacement.
Childhood friends describe separation by war, refugee life, and reunion in Kakuma.
Abdulahi Haji Hassan describes abandoning his Somali home during drought and famine.
A Congolese teenager recalls losing his parents and escaping to Kenya.
A Somali mother explains her decision to flee fighting with her disabled son.
Refugee Oral Histories and Personal Testimony
Esther describes nearly two decades in a Rwandan refugee camp and her family's resettlement to Denmark.
22. | Rebecca Ursule and Mark Hanna | StoryCorps | 2025
Rebecca describes growing up in a refugee camp in Uganda after her family escaped violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
23. | Aden Derow | UNHCR | 2025
A filmmaker born in Dadaab describes using visual storytelling to preserve refugee community histories.
A young refugee woman describes her journey from camp education toward becoming a teacher.
A South Sudanese mother describes arriving at Kakuma with three young children.
Ekyamba Alonda recounts fleeing Congo in 1996 and spending decades in Nyarugusu before resettlement.
27. | Refugee Family from Laos | StoryCorps | 2023
An interview recalls registration with the United Nations, temporary camps, and migration from Laos.
28. | Hser | StoryCorps | 2023
Hser discusses growing up in Myanmar and a Thai refugee camp before moving to the United States.
A refugee family's separation and efforts to reconnect after violence in Congo.
Françoise recounts persecution, displacement, and the discovery that her missing parents had survived.
31. | Georgette Bisoka and Fowzia Adan | StoryCorps | 2021
Refugee experiences, language, cultural adjustment, and memories of living in a Botswana refugee camp.
32. | Omar Mohamed and Valentina Ross | StoryCorps | 2021
Omar explains how refugee experiences shaped his work and his understanding of immigrant communities.
33. | Esayas Asfeha | StoryCorps | 2020
Esayas recalls a sixteen-year journey through refugee camps before reaching Montana.
A Somali refugee reflects on escaping Mogadishu and building a new life in Rwanda.
Ali describes two decades of exile and the meaning of belonging beyond legal refugee status.
36. | James Kaskile Muyenga and Vera Carothers | StoryCorps | 2016
James discusses escaping war in Congo, establishing a small business in a Tanzanian refugee camp, and settling in Rhode Island.
37. | Hinde Muya and Amina Osman | StoryCorps | 2010
Family and community memories include experiences of living in a refugee camp and receiving an education.
38. | Hinde Muya, Amina Osman and McKenzie Wren | StoryCorps | 2010
Amina remembers refugee-camp life, education, and family traditions.
39. | Valentino Achak Deng | UNHCR | 2008
A former Lost Boy of Sudan recounts separation from his family, refugee camps, and returning to rebuild his community.
40. | James Kaskile Muyenga | StoryCorps | n.d.
A refugee from Congo reflects on displacement and the responsibilities of rebuilding family life.
Syrian, Afghan, and Middle Eastern Refugee Experiences
Raed and Noura discuss raising their daughters after years in Lebanon and resettlement in Spain.
Zuhur remembers carrying her newborn son across the border while fleeing Syria with her children.
Fady Omar recounts leaving Syria as a child and pursuing a university education in Egypt.
A Syrian family describes surviving war, losing possessions again in an earthquake, and resettling in Spain.
A Syrian refugee woman describes using handicraft skills to support her family and regain independence.
Jamil describes growing up with a disability and creating educational opportunities for refugee children.
A grandson writes about his refugee grandmother, family memory, and intergenerational storytelling.
A daughter writes about discovering the history of her Iraqi refugee father.
A Syrian refugee family in Jordan reflects on bereavement, interrupted childhood, and educational hopes.
Qayyum Khan remembers childhood migration and the challenges of returning to Afghanistan.
Firas al Ahmad describes the conflicting emotions of leaving relatives behind to resettle in Texas.
Fatima Khalouf recalls crossing mountains, travelling by sea, and finally reuniting with family in Germany.
An Afghan refugee businessman reflects on work, family expectations, and economic survival in Iran.
A young Syrian boy describes his dangerous journey and his hopes of resuming school.
Syrian women describe supporting households after war separated them from husbands and relatives.
Ahmed, a Syrian lawyer, recounts abandoning his career and possessions to escape to Lebanon.
Anaar Gul reflects on growing up in Pakistan and considering a return to an Afghan homeland he had never seen.
Haji Saadat describes spending more than thirty years in Pakistan after fleeing Afghanistan.
Mohammed describes the obstacles faced by a young Afghan refugee with a disability seeking education.
60. | Refugee Oral History Project | UNHCR and Citizens Archive of Pakistan | n.d.
A collection of firsthand Afghan refugee oral histories preserving memories of culture, family, displacement, and life in Pakistan.
Rohingya, Ukrainian, and Other Displaced Communities
Ukrainian refugees reflect on employment, parenting, belonging, and rebuilding their futures abroad.
62. | Alfiyya Haq and Mitra Suryono | UNHCR | 2025
Ali describes leaving displacement in Myanmar and surviving a dangerous sea journey to Indonesia.
63. | Anastasiia | UNHCR | 2025
A Ukrainian refugee remembers fleeing with her sister and cat and rebuilding her life in France.
Ukrainian families discuss living through prolonged displacement, loss, and uncertainty.
Newly displaced Ukrainians describe losing homes and having to start their lives again.
66. | Tristan McConnell | UNHCR | 2023
Rohingya photographers describe documenting their own community through personal photographs and testimony.
Displaced Ukrainians describe separation from home, evacuation, and the struggle to maintain family life.
68. | Rahman Iman Hussein | UNHCR | 2021
A Rohingya refugee raised in Malaysia discusses education, identity, and the aspirations of young refugees.
69. | Don Murray and Louise Donovan | UNHCR | 2020
Young Rohingya refugees describe supporting one another through peer-led mental health activities.
Tansima and Amira discuss women's leadership and participation in refugee-camp decision-making.
Venezuelans describe threats, medical hardship, and decisions to seek safety abroad.
Sajary recounts the difficulties of crossing into Brazil while seeking medicine for her mother.
Graciela explains how her own displacement motivated her to shelter Venezuelan families.
Four generations of a Rohingya family describe statelessness, persecution, and uncertainty about returning to Myanmar.
75. | Matthew Saltmarsh | UNHCR | 2018
Families describe using bamboo and tarpaulins to protect their shelters in Bangladesh.
76. | Tim Gaynor | UNHCR | 2017
Sara Khatun describes struggling to feed her children after escaping Myanmar.
Rohingya families discuss rebuilding shelter and community following forced migration.
A young Rohingya refugee describes beginning formal education as a teenager.
79. | Displaced Ukrainian Narrators | UNHCR | n.d.
Personal accounts organized around treasured belongings carried or preserved during displacement.
80. | Displaced Ukrainian Narrators | UNHCR | n.d.
Photographs and personal objects preserve memories of homes, families, and communities separated by war.
Historical Refugees, Holocaust Survivors, and Displaced Persons
81. | Suzanne Tarica | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | 2025
Suzanne remembers separation from her parents, hiding in France, and childhood in a Swiss refugee camp.
82. | Sushila Balkrishna Wagh | The 1947 Partition Archive | 2024
An oral-history profile preserves an eyewitness account of the 1947 Partition of British India.
83. | Holocaust Survivor | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | n.d.
A survivor considers how wartime displacement shaped family memory and later life.
84. | Holocaust Survivor | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | n.d.
A survivor describes settling in England after fleeing persecution and adjusting to a new society.
85. | Holocaust Survivor | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | n.d.
A firsthand account of postwar travel, uncertainty, and displacement through Central Europe.
86. | Holocaust Survivor | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | n.d.
A survivor remembers leaving Poland and navigating refugee institutions after World War II.
87. | Holocaust Survivor | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | n.d.
A family remembers clandestine efforts to escape Nazi Germany through Belgium.
88. | Holocaust Survivor | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | n.d.
A refugee recalls crossing into Spain and the exhaustion and uncertainty of escape.
89. | Holocaust Survivor | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | n.d.
A personal recollection places civilian displacement within the German invasion of Western Europe.
90. | Holocaust Survivor | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | n.d.
A survivor remembers weddings, schools, and rebuilding community life in displaced-persons camps.
91. | Holocaust Survivor | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | n.d.
A child's memories of life in an Austrian displaced-persons camp and eventual migration to America.
92. | Holocaust Survivor | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | n.d.
A firsthand reflection on postwar life in the Robert Taylor displaced-persons camp.
93. | Fela Warschau | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | n.d.
Fela Warschau describes daily life in the Feldafing displaced-persons camp in Germany.
94. | Sam Spiegel | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | n.d.
Sam remembers refugee registration, food distribution, family reunification, and cultural activities after liberation.
95. | Madeline Deutsch | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | n.d.
Madeline recalls postwar life with her mother in a Munich displaced-persons camp while awaiting American visas.
96. | Inge Katzenstein | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | n.d.
Inge discusses fleeing Nazi Germany with her family and finding refuge in Kenya.
97. | Rachel Mutterperl Goldfarb | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | n.d.
Rachel reflects on liberation, family losses, and life in displaced-persons camps.
98. | Partition Witness | The 1947 Partition Archive | n.d.
An archival story-map record connected with memories of Partition and the migration of communities.
99. | Partition Survivors | The 1947 Partition Archive | n.d.
A research collection of recorded firsthand memories concerning Partition-era violence, migration, and resettlement.
100. | Displaced Persons Oral Histories | United States Holocaust Memorial Museum | n.d.
A collection of survivor testimony and identification records documenting life after liberation and displacement.
Cambodian Genocide Survivors and Refugees
101. | Julie Benghongsocheat and Angkoriya | StoryCorps | 2026
Julie recalls fleeing Cambodia in 1979, living in a refugee camp, resettling in Oregon, and preserving Cambodian cultural traditions through dance.
102. | Vera Crenshaw and Elen Callahan | StoryCorps | 2024
Vera discusses her experiences as a Cambodian refugee, immigration to the United States, and memories preserved in her memoir.
103. | Cambodian Genocide Survivor | StoryCorps | 2023
An oral-history interview preserves memories of the Khmer Rouge period, survival, and displacement following the Cambodian genocide.
104. | Sarim Marith and Angela Marith | StoryCorps | 2022
Sarim remembers her family's migration from Cambodia to the United States in 1975 and reflects on the experiences of refugee and immigrant families.
105. | Suor So and Amanda So | StoryCorps | 2022
Suor describes his childhood in Cambodia, experiences in refugee camps, immigration in 1981, and subsequent family life in America.
106. | Rebecca Satim Penh-Ma and Masaya Kraichit | StoryCorps | 2022
A family-history conversation recounts escape from the Khmer Rouge, dangerous travel to Thailand, refugee-camp experiences, and intergenerational trauma.
107. | Esther Ky and Thear Suzuki | StoryCorps | 2019
Esther Ky describes surviving the Cambodian genocide, living in a refugee camp, and moving to the United States with the help of an American sponsor.
108. | Thear Suzuki and Lea Zikmund | StoryCorps | 2019
Thear remembers her family's escape from Cambodia in 1979, life in a Thai refugee camp, and the difficulties of preserving language and cultural identity.
Vietnamese Boat Refugees and Southeast Asian Displacement
109. | Thanh Boyer and Theron Dawson | StoryCorps | 2025
Thanh shares her experiences of living in Vietnam, fleeing by boat with relatives, and establishing a new life in Alabama.
110. | Kayla Do and Tiffany Phan | StoryCorps | 2023
A Vietnamese immigrant recalls life in Vietnam, a dangerous sea crossing, arrival in Thailand, and eventual resettlement in the United States.
111. | Vietnamese Refugee Oral History | StoryCorps | 2023
A family interview preserves a Vietnamese refugee's personal memories of displacement and migration.
112. | Han Lu | StoryCorps | 2022
Han remembers fleeing Vietnam by boat, spending five days and four nights at sea, and reaching a refugee camp in Malaysia.
113. | Andy To | StoryCorps | 2019
Andy recounts escaping Vietnam by sea, surviving dangerous travel, and moving through refugee camps before reaching America.
Bosnian War Refugees and Displaced Families
114. | Hanna Suman and Monica Virgen | StoryCorps | 2022
Hanna describes fleeing Bosnia during the war, living as a refugee in Germany, and subsequently resettling in the United States.
115. | Bosnian Family Oral History | StoryCorps | 2017
A granddaughter interviews her grandmother about childhood in Bosnia and Herzegovina, preserving family memories of the region's history.
116. | Naida Hasanovic and Enisa Slinic | StoryCorps | 2017
A mother and daughter discuss childhood, family relationships, and Bosnian family history in an intergenerational interview.
Palestinian Refugees: Oral Histories, Letters, and Family Memories
117. | Mohammed Omayya | UNRWA | 2021
Mohammed Omayya, an elderly Palestinian refugee, recounts escaping violence in Syria and seeking refuge again in Lebanon.
118. | Alia Shehabi | UNRWA | 2017
Alia remembers her family's displacement from Palestine in 1948, growing up in Damascus, and facing another conflict during the Syrian war.
119. | Najwa Sheikh Ahmed | UNRWA | May 16, 2009
Najwa reflects on inherited family memories of the Nakba, treasured household objects, and the emotional consequences of prolonged displacement.
120. | Najwa Sheikh Ahmed | UNRWA | January 19, 2009
Najwa describes her children's fear, displacement during military attacks, and the psychological effects that continue after a ceasefire.
121. | Najwa Sheikh Ahmed | UNRWA | January 2009
A Palestinian mother describes how war changed her children's behavior, school experiences, drawings, and understanding of their surroundings.
122. | Najwa Sheikh Ahmed | UNRWA | May 2008
Najwa reflects on three generations of Palestinian refugee life, inherited memories of displacement, and raising children in Nuseirat refugee camp.
123. | Najwa Sheikh Ahmed | UNRWA | June 2008
A third-generation Palestinian refugee writes about the limitations of camp life and the experience of inheriting refugee status across generations.
124. | Ibrahim Taha Al-Sheikh | Palestine Remembered | July 24, 2003
A translated oral-history interview documents memories of village life before the Nakba, displacement, refugee camps, and the experiences of Palestinians in exile.
125. | Ahmad Taha | Palestine Remembered | n.d.
A translated Palestinian oral-history interview preserves memories of the community of Imwas and experiences associated with the Nakba and refugee displacement.
Bhutanese Refugees: Exile, Family History, and Resettlement
Amber Bahadur Jogi discusses supporting his family in a Bhutanese refugee settlement while developing a recycling enterprise.
Gunaraj Sampang Rai describes growing up as a second-generation Bhutanese refugee in Nepal and establishing a business despite legal and economic obstacles.
128. | Bhutanese Refugee Oral History | StoryCorps | 2018
A firsthand account examines ethnic persecution in Bhutan, forced migration to Nepal, and the experience of rebuilding life in the United States.
Devi Maya discusses leaving years of exile in Nepal behind and looking forward to family reunification and resettlement in America.
Sunita describes childhood in a Bhutanese refugee camp in Nepal, participation in a children's forum, and efforts to improve opportunities for refugee youth.
Eritrean Refugees: Dangerous Journeys and Life in Exile
Mariam describes years spent as an Eritrean refugee and the prospect of rebuilding her family's life through resettlement in Europe.
Tsega recounts detention, exploitation, and the dangers she faced while travelling with her young son before evacuation from Libya to Rwanda.
Kokob describes leaving Eritrea as a young refugee, spending two years in an Ethiopian camp, and crossing the Mediterranean to Italy.
An Eritrean refugee describes trafficking, abuse, and insecurity experienced during displacement through African countries before finding refuge in Italy.
Gebre recounts escaping Eritrea with his family, the death of his daughter, dangerous border crossings, and the search for safety in Ethiopia.
Elias recalls becoming a refugee at nine years old, moving between countries, and struggling with statelessness and uncertainty about belonging.
Somali Refugees: Camp Life, Family Separation, and Return
Ahmed describes fleeing Somalia, spending more than fifteen years in Ethiopia, and preparing to rebuild his life with his son.
Barbaqad Abdi Aden discusses fleeing Somalia with her children and hoping they can continue their education after reaching safety in Ethiopia.
Habso remembers growing up in a refugee camp, receiving an education, and using illustrated storytelling to share refugee experiences with American schoolchildren.
Somali refugees describe the difficult decision to leave Yemen, where they had originally sought sanctuary, because of renewed violence.
A young Somali mother describes escaping conflict, caring for two children, and adapting to life in an Ethiopian refugee camp.
Muhioadin Ahmed Aden remembers spending twenty years in Kenya's Dadaab refugee complex before preparing for resettlement in Utah.
Yazidi Displacement: Escaping ISIS and Preserving Community Memory
A displaced Yazidi mother describes the difficulties of replacing civil documents, securing recognition for her children, and recovering stability after fleeing Sinjar.
A Yazidi doctor describes fleeing Sinjar and documenting the personal testimonies of women and girls who survived captivity and sexual violence.
Khansa recounts fleeing ISIS violence with her mother and siblings after her father's death, and describes her educational ambitions in exile.
Asam and other displaced Yazidis describe losing homes and relatives, seeking temporary shelter, and struggling with the psychological consequences of conflict.
Khilid recounts escaping attacks near Sinjar, crossing harsh mountain terrain, and seeking safety with his extended family.
Yazidi brothers Khairy and Fouad describe escaping violence in Sinjar and coping with trauma and displacement in an Iraqi camp.
Central African Republic: Repeated Displacement and Family Survival
Sudanese refugees describe fleeing armed conflict with only their children and the clothes they were wearing, and finding shelter in the Central African Republic.
A Chadian refugee mother reflects on more than thirty years of exile in the Central African Republic and the conflicting emotions of returning to a homeland that has changed.
Colombia: Internally Displaced Families and Indigenous Communities
Afranio Nama Forastero, an Indigenous Embera man, describes fleeing death threats with his family and struggling to preserve community traditions in Quibdó.
María Victoria discusses growing up amid violence in Colombia's Chocó region and advocating for displaced LGBTQ+ people, including Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities.
A Colombian grandmother recounts fleeing violence with her granddaughter after armed groups killed family members, and rebuilding life in an informal settlement near Mocoa.
154. | UNHCR | UNHCR | January 11, 2010
Luz Maria recounts losing her rural home to Colombia's armed conflict and struggling to adapt to urban poverty after displacement.
155. | UNHCR | UNHCR | May 15, 2006
José remembers the day gunfire struck his farmhouse, narrowly missing his daughter, and describes the challenges displaced families face when they lack identification documents.
156. | UNHCR | UNHCR | March 8, 2006
Olga Lucia Rodriguez describes fleeing her hometown in Santander and transforming her experience of displacement into advocacy for uprooted Colombian women.
Venezuelan Refugees: Families, Health, and Rebuilding Lives
María describes arriving in Peru with professional qualifications, facing insecure employment, and establishing a business to rebuild her independence.
Lucetti, a member of the Indigenous Warao community, describes helping displaced Venezuelans navigate daily life and obtain assistance in Manaus, Brazil.
David Marín Cabrera reflects on his family's displacement from Venezuela and his work helping other refugees manage anxiety, isolation, and emotional trauma.
Gabriela Peña recounts leaving Venezuela because of hunger, shortages, and political repression before beginning a new life through relocation within Brazil.
Roxibel describes leaving Venezuela while pregnant because medical services were unavailable and struggling to find shelter and care with her children.
Indigenous Venezuelan families describe crossing into Brazil and attempting to preserve their communities, cultural practices, and family relationships.
Myanmar: Kachin, Rohingya, and Internally Displaced Communities
Kachin families describe relocating after years of internal displacement and establishing new settlements organized by displaced community members.
Displaced Myanmar families describe losing relatives, fleeing armed conflict, and struggling to find food, shelter, and safety.
Ning recounts fighting near her village, civilian casualties, and her family's flight to an internally displaced persons camp in Myitkyina.
166. | UNHCR | UNHCR | October 28, 2015
Htoi Pan remembers fighter jets flying over her village and the events that forced her family and neighbors to abandon their homes in Kachin State.
167. | UNHCR | UNHCR | October 29, 2014
Maran Ja describes learning sewing skills while living in a camp for internally displaced people in Kachin State and seeking greater economic independence.
A displaced mother in Rakhine State describes losing her husband, the interruption of her children's education, and her fear of returning home.
Afghan Refugees: Education, Family Separation, and Return
Sara Wahedi recounts surviving violence in Kabul and developing technology to warn communities of security threats and assist vulnerable Afghans.
Sahar remembers growing up in a refugee camp in Peshawar and explains how her experiences motivated her to help Afghan girls obtain an education.
Afghan refugee Saleem remembers fleeing civil war in the 1990s and experiencing displacement again when catastrophic floods destroyed his home in Pakistan.
Marzila, a young Afghan refugee, describes challenging restrictive expectations about women's employment and achieving her ambition of providing medical care.
Saleema describes growing up as an Afghan refugee in Pakistan, overcoming obstacles to education, and pursuing a career providing health care.
Nasruddin describes fleeing Afghanistan with his family in 1989, settling in Ireland, and using writing to preserve Afghan cultural identity.
Qudsia reflects on returning to Afghanistan with her husband and children after thirty-five years of exile in Pakistan.
Burundian Refugees: Civil Conflict, Exile, and Return
A Burundian returnee remembers supporting his family through agricultural labor and charcoal production while in exile, and rebuilding a house after returning home.
Buchumi recounts years spent outside Burundi and explains the hopes and uncertainties involved in returning to his homeland.
Burundian refugees describe returning from neighboring countries, encountering difficulties with housing and employment, and trying to provide stability for their children.
Rehema recounts fleeing Burundi with her children after her husband's death and using community theatre to cope with trauma and isolation in exile.
180. | Burundian Refugee Testimony | UNHCR | 2015
A young refugee describes fear during Burundi's political violence, the decision to flee with family members, and the journey to safety in Rwanda.
Burundian families describe fleeing renewed violence and seeking protection among communities with their own histories of displacement.
182. | UNHCR | UNHCR | March 11, 2008
Sophia Habonimana describes her decision to return to Burundi after decades of exile in Tanzania despite having few remaining family connections.
Rwandan and Congolese Refugees: Survival and Rebuilding Communities
Sudanese refugees describe escaping conflict and establishing small businesses and other livelihoods after reaching Rwanda.
Congolese refugee women in Rwanda describe establishing businesses, supporting their families, and seeking financial independence after prolonged displacement.
185. | Catherine Wachiaya | UNHCR | 2020
Refugee women evacuated from Libya describe experiences of sexual abuse, dangerous journeys, and receiving psychological support at Rwanda's Gashora Emergency Transit Centre.
A former Rwandan refugee recounts returning after years in the Democratic Republic of Congo and adjusting to life in a homeland transformed during her absence.
Ukrainian Refugees: Wartime Flight, Family Memories, and Recovery
Liubov describes evacuation from Dobropillia, temporary accommodation, and the struggle to meet basic needs after losing the stability of her former home.
Evacuees from eastern Ukraine describe dangerous journeys, exhaustion, separation from familiar communities, and the need for specialized care upon reaching western Ukraine.
189. | Kriistina | UNHCR | 2026
Kriistina remembers fleeing Ukraine with her children in March 2022 and building a stable life in Moldova while continuing to hope for a return home.
A displaced Ukrainian woman remembers hearing an air-raid alarm and seeing a drone before escaping danger and eventually rebuilding her life in a new home.
Olha recounts fleeing Kherson, living in collective accommodation, and eventually moving into a house with a garden where her family could regain privacy.
Svetlana, an 83-year-old widow, recalls leaving the home and garden she shared with her late husband in Mykolaiv and seeking refuge in Moldova.
Tetiana Baransova describes protecting her family during shelling and the special difficulties people with disabilities face when seeking shelter during conflict.
Syrian Refugees: Family Separation, Disability, and Everyday Life in Exile
Ali describes fleeing Aleppo with his family and finding friendship, emotional relief, and a sense of belonging through surfing in Lebanon.
Odai and his mother Amal remember violence in Syria, their family's escape to Lebanon, and his dream of becoming a professional football player.
196. | UNHCR | UNHCR | March 21, 2016
Mohamad al Kawarit and his family describe escaping Syria, confronting the additional challenges of deafness during displacement, and eventually finding refuge in Canada.
197. | UNHCR | UNHCR | March 24, 2015
Ajar Ahmad describes fleeing Aleppo with little more than his passport and attempting to rebuild his career as a mechanic in South Korea.
Hany, a young Syrian refugee living in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, describes the emotional impact of displacement and the effort to recover educational opportunities.
Elderly Syrian refugees recall lives built around farming, family, and village traditions before war forced them into temporary shelters in Lebanon.
The family of four-year-old Shahad recounts the loss of children, injuries caused by an attack on their home, and the desperate search for safety after fleeing Syria.
