Expats Helping Refugees Around The World

Many of us hear on the news, and read in the newspapers stories about refugees from different countries. Who for example didn't hear about the horrible conditions of refugees from Darphor and Somali?

Some of us take a moment to think about their situation, others might donate some money, or participate in a rally. But there are also those unique individuals who actually devote their life to helping refugees around the world.

One of them is Iris (not a real name). We met her through a friend of us who was a refugee himself, and immediately fell in love with her.

Iris has been working for the UN refugee agency for quite a few years. She is passionate about her work, and is dealing with the most complicated problems a human being can have - lack of identity, and a lack of home.

Some refugees run away from their home country, and enter illegally into another country seeking a better life for themselves and their family. After they enter the country they have to deal with an impossible situation - Returning to their home country is not an option, because they will most probably be murdered there. But they also have no legal status in the country they have entered.

Many refugees are put into prison, and this is where the refugee agency take charge. Their people visit them in prison, listen to their stories, release them from prison and find them a temporary place to stay.

Afterwords the refugee agency starts dealing with government agencies and with endless bureaucracy. If the country is not willing to grant the refugees a legal status than they must find another country which will be willing to accept them. Sometimes they even need to fight in court in order to prevent sending the refugees back to their home countries.Meanwhile they make sure that the refugees have a decent place to sleep and means to support themselves.

This is a nonstop work. Iris is working days and nights, and even on the weekends. She is totally devoted, and believe with all her heart in what she does.