Somewhere in the world right now, a child is being pulled awake in the dark and rushed outside. They’re clutching only what their small hands can hold.
In the midst of a relentless war, 5 million children in Sudan have taken a similar journey, leaving their homes and safe spaces — the largest number of internally displaced children in the world.
Violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo has uprooted 2.5 million children from their homes, forcing them to leave everything — their friends, their schools and their toys — behind. Now, children must face an ever-worsening Ebola outbreak and the potential for separation from family and caregivers.
In Gaza, families have endured unimaginable loss, with around 90% of the population displaced from their homes. Parents and children have lost loved ones, homes, schools and any sense of stability. Unable to cross borders to safety, families are trapped inside their own country, searching for any place where their children can simply survive.
Friend, the scale of worldwide displacement is almost incomprehensible. Global conflict, natural disasters and persecution have forced 123 million people from their homes — and nearly half of those displaced are children.
Numbers this large can be difficult to fully grasp, but behind every statistic is a child, a family and a story of upheaval, courage and hope. Starting this World Refugee Day, June 20th, through the end of the month, watch your email for stories of children forced from their homes, highlighting their resilience as they begin life in a new place and their hopes and dreams for the future.
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