Meet Arwa.*
She and her family were forced from their home in Iraq. For an entire month, she lived with frequent shelling before they were able to escape. Now the family of seven lives in a refugee camp in Khanaqin, near the border with Iran. Arwa is among more than 3 million displaced people in Iraq.
Save the Children provides services to children in the camp. Arwa’s family benefits from WASH programs and facilities, which aim to improve water quality and promote improved hygiene practices so children don’t suffer from diarrhea and other diseases. Arwa and her brother also attend Save the Children’s Child Friendly Space, which gives them a protected environment in the camp to learn, play and socialize while their family rebuilds their lives.
For now, Arwa is safe. But there are many more children at peril around the world.
Today, 28 million children have no place to call home. Violence, natural disasters and war mean they experience fear and uncertainty, often living in a desperate conditions. The world hasn’t seen a refugee crisis like this since World War II.
In commemoration of World Refugee Day today, ask your members of Congress to support a resolution introduced by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Ted Lieu (D-CA) calling for humanitarian support and resettlement for refugees like Arwa.