Year in Review 2022: Building a brighter future together

The world reached a tragic milestone in 2022: more than 100 million people are now displaced worldwide. This number was driven largely by the beginning of the Ukraine war in February, as well as the worsening climate conditions in West and Central Africa, and protracted displacement situations in Syria, Venezuela, Myanmar and many other countries around the world. 

In response, we witnessed all the ways our communities can come together to support displaced people. From our compassionate community of donors raising lifesaving funds for refugees to our passionate supporters raising awareness on social media, to resettled refugees helping make the U.S. a more welcoming place for all. 

In 2022, we met several inspiring individuals with powerful stories who taught us that, together, we can build a more compassionate world for refugees. 

Nery Santaella: Nery Santaella is the 2022 Gene Dewey Refugee Award recipient for her work in combating misinformation that displaced Venezuelans encounter when they are forced to flee. After being forced to flee Venezuela herself in 2017, she struggled to find accurate information about how to reach safety. When she reached Colombia, she founded the nonprofit, Voices of Venezuela, to educate refugees about their rights and combat xenophobia and misinformation.

Eric Hoffert: Eric Hoffert is a USA for UNHCR fundraiser and marathon runner. Although already a long-time supporter of refugees, Eric took action in February 2022 when Ukraine was invaded. He was motivated by his family’s own history of displacement and ran in the New York City marathon to raise funds and awareness for refugees. 

Haya & Ghena Al Nuwab: Haya and Ghena are resettled refugee twin sisters living in West Springfield, MA, and they are the featured story for the 2022 Refugee Storyteller Celebration. Their family was forced to flee Iraq when they were young, and they grew up in Jordan as refugees. Over the years, they’ve learned about their family’s journey as refugees and have found ways to use their story to make an impact on their community. 

Maggie Eckerstorfer: Maggie is the Lead Coordinator for the University of Minnesota Mobile Health Initiative. Launched in 2020, this initiative brings healthcare services and education to those in underserved communities throughout Minnesota. Maggie and her team support a large number of resettled refugees and newcomers, providing them with necessary health resources. 

Manal Alolabi: Manal is a resettled refugee from Syria who currently works at Kin & Care, a candle company in Maryland that employs resettled refugee women and works to spread awareness about refugees in the United States. The company’s owner, Ferzan Jaeger, created the company as a way to help resettled refugees find gainful employment and connect with their new communities. 

Night Jean Muhingabo: Night Jean Muhingabo is a resettled refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who now works at the Refugee Dream Center in Providence, RI. As a youth coordinator at the center, he helps empower other resettled refugee youth in his community. Night Jean is also a poet and recent graduate of Rhode Island College. 

Hadia Mohammadzadah: Hadia is a Site Lead for the University of Minnesota Mobile Health Initiative. Like Maggie, her team works with underserved communities, including resettled refugees and newcomers, to provide essential health services and resources. Hadia’s work and allyship is driven by her own family history — her parents were forced to flee Afghanistan 30 years ago. 

Laura Londono: Laura is a resettled refugee from Colombia and an aspiring astronaut. She recently graduated from Rhode Island College with degrees in Physics and Mathematics, and she hopes to fulfill her childhood dream of working for NASA. 

How you can help… 

The outpouring of support we saw in 2022 made an incredible impact on the lives of displaced people around the world, but it can’t stop there. More than 100 million people are still on their journeys to safety, and they need your kindness to reach home. By becoming a monthly donor, you can support a refugee family’s journey from the day they are forced to flee to the day they can safely begin rebuilding their lives.