What’s at Stake when Refugees are Left in Danger?
We lose culture, innovation, compassion — and we abandon people fleeing war and
persecution.
But U.S. refugee programs have been gutted and foreign assistance has been cut. Millions
remain stranded in places like Egypt, Ukraine, and Sudan without access to safety or services.
Now is the time to act — to restore resettlement, fund life-saving programs, and stand for human dignity.
Every day, people are forced to flee their homes.
Conflict, disaster, and poverty are displacing families. As they search for a safe place to call home, they need someone to walk beside them.
Will you be the one to join them?
Stories That Inspire Action
Behind every policy are people waiting to rebuild their lives. Meet a few of them — and
hear what our communities could lose if we don’t act.
Seluwa Said’s Journey to Success
Forced to flee conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Seluwa Said and her family endured severe hardship at Tanzania’s Nyarugusu Refugee Camp. In 2022, she joined the CWS Sustainable Vegetable Farming Project, gaining farming skills and tools to grow nutritious food. Her harvests fed her family and enabled a thriving small business. Today, Seluwa is an entrepreneur raising chickens, building a secure future through resilience and opportunity.
Fighting for Family
After fleeing Afghanistan, Abed and Hafez received vital legal support from CWS Fort Collins and attorney Rona Schank, whose refugee background fuels her passion for justice. Rona’s tireless advocacy, including appeals to lawmakers, helped reunite them with their families and secure legal status. Their journey highlights the impact of compassionate legal aid and the strength of welcoming communities in creating a future grounded in justice, belonging, and shared humanity.
Adamou’s Story
After fleeing violence in Niger that claimed many lives, including his family’s, Adamou found safety in Serbia. Supported by CWS and the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, he gained asylum in 2022. Football remained his passion, and he rebuilt his life with quiet determination. Now working in IT, he continues to inspire with his resilience and kindness. Temporary housing aid in 2024 helped him through another crisis, reaffirming his hope for the future.
Stand with Refugees Today
Demand restored resettlement, global aid, and pathways to safety.
Resources
Celebrate World Refugee Day.
Amplify voices, gather in hope and wear your compassion!
Share the Movement
Help the World Imagine What’s Lost #WithoutRefugees
Share refugee stories. Use our graphics. Tell your followers what your community would
be missing without refugees.
CWS Impact Last Year
0
Individuals
across 11 countries have gained better access to safe water and sanitation at home
0
Individuals
participated in CWS livelihoods programs and received vocational training, seeds and livestock, among other activities
0
Refugees
individuals were resettled or processed for U.S. resettlement.
Church World Service is a global faith-based organization transforming communities around the world through just and sustainable responses to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster. Since 1946, CWS has been an organization that deeply believes there is enough in this world for everyone. Born out of a desire to help the most vulnerable after World War II, we formed local partnerships to ensure people everywhere had healthy food and water, a safe place to call home and the ability to fulfill their purpose.
For nearly 80 years, our mission and approach remain the same—transforming lives in more than 65 countries with underserved communities across the globe.
CWS adheres to all guidelines for humanitarian assistance mandated by the International Committee of the Red Cross. CWS has a long relationship with the Sphere project, a common set of international standards used in disaster response. Both set a strong mandate for appropriate standards in providing humanitarian assistance, and specifically prohibit proselytizing.