When civil war erupted in 2013, Ariat fled her home in South Sudan. She carried her youngest baby in a basket over her head, wrapped her other child on her back "and fled for my life," she said. There was no time to gather birth certificates.

After reaching safety in Ethiopia, she worked hard to rebuild her family's life. Soon, though, she discovered how difficult it was to access services without documents to confirm her and her children’s identities.

Without a birth certificate, Ariat was barred from registering her daughter for school. She persisted, ultimately convincing the school’s director to help her. "This is why birth certificates are important," she said.

"This is like life for us, it is our identity."

In partnership with the government of Ethiopia, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is helping refugees obtain these vital documents. Ariat's 18-day-old son, Angakuny, was among the first refugee children in Ethiopia to receive a birth certificate.

"I am more than happy that my son is among the first South Sudanese refugees here to be recognized and given a legal document," Ariat said. "This is like life for us, it is our identity."

With his birth certificate — and thanks to the generosity of caring Americans — little Angakuny has a chance for a brighter future.

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