“No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark […] No one puts their children in a boat unless the water is safer than the land […] No one leaves home until home is a damp voice in your ear saying leave, run now, I don’t know what I’ve become.”
Home by Warsan Shire, a British-Somali poet.
I do not think anyone who followed the news since the beginning of the Syrian civil war can turn a blind eye to the pictures of displaced families doing the unimaginable to find a haven. However, many do not know that the refugee crisis is not limited to Syrian refugees only, rather it involves dislocated families from other countries too, such as Venezuela, Somalia, South Sudan, Yemen, U.S. borders, and more. (International Rescue Committee).
As a refugee myself, I was forced to leave my country in search of a shelter and a place I can call home. And when I found that place, I never forgot the challenges I had to go through to reach safety. My personal experience of surviving war, seeking refuge, and immigrating to a new place, made me determined to assisting disadvantaged communities who are fighting the same battle. Two years after arrival to the United States, I co-founded Melody for Peace, a fundraising campaign to aid refugees and dislocated families in the Middle East and the United States through the sound of music. The campaign was based on performing in public places to raise funds that were sent to refugee camps in Mosul, Baghdad, and Amman. The campaign also helped Syrian families resettling in San Diego, California, with different educational and empowerment resources.
Melody for Peace made me realize the significance of the little things one can do to help others. It also made me realize that despite helping many families navigate their way through hardships, there are hundreds and millions of others around the world who are still suffering silently.
This blog will shed light on those sufferings and will explore the legal and political steps being taken (and can be taken in the future) to eradicate this crisis in all countries.
I am a firm believer that with the right combination of knowledge, passion, and commitment, together we can make a change.