As it stands, we are witnessing the highest levels of displacement on record. These numbers are so large that they are difficult to comprehend and the situation is made even more confusing by the different language and terminology used in the media or government; terms such as internally displaced people, refugees, asylum-seekers, migrants, that they average person may not be familiar with. This means that it can be difficult to understand what these 65 million people are really experiencing, and how Canadians can help.<\/p>\n
So, What Is a Refugee?<\/strong><\/h2>\nAccording to the United Nations\u2019 1951 Refugee Convention, a refugee is someone who fled their home and country owing to, \u201ca well-founded fear of persecution because of his\/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.\u201d Related to the definition of a refugee is the concept, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are people who have not crossed an international border but have moved to a different region than the one they call home, within their own country.<\/p>\n
But definitions like these don\u2019t really help illustrate what a refugee or an IDP actually is or experiences. Gaining that understanding is challenging without living it yourself. Can you imagine violence erupting near your home? Can you imagine learning that your family and friends were hurt or even killed? Can you imagine having to flee your house suddenly, bringing with you only the bare minimum and having no guarantee of a safe journey or a safe destination? These are events both Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and refugees have been through. They are traumatic and harrowing experiences for adults, but can you imagine experiencing them as a child? It\u2019s unimaginable, but it is exactly what happened to Bana* and Saja*.<\/p>\n
Bana\u2019s Story<\/strong><\/h2>\nBana is a little girl whose life has been completely overhauled by war. Bana is 5 and was born in Syria, and has never known her homeland to be anything other than a place of violence, conflict, and war. Even when their family lived in Syria, Bana wasn\u2019t able to play outside as she was not allowed to leave her house. Her parents were too concerned about the violence outside.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.canadahelps.org\/media\/Save-the-Children_Bana.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Now living in Lebanon, having fled Syria in search of a better life, Bana and many other children attend Save the Children\u2019s Early Childhood Care and Development activities. These activities are aimed at vulnerable children between the ages of 3 and 5. Through the program, the children receive non-formal educational support, helping them prepare for the formality of schooling when grade one begins.<\/p>\n
Saja\u2019s Story<\/strong><\/h2>\nSaja and her family live in a camp in Khanaqeen, Iraq. They\u2019ve lived there for over a year, having fled their hometown following six months of shelling, and the children\u2019s school becoming a military target.<\/p>\n
Saja\u2019s journey to Khanaqeen was a harrowing one. Saja and her family were in one car, and her aunt, uncle, and cousins were travelling in the car behind them when her aunt and uncle\u2019s car was hit by an explosion and pelted by shelling. Everyone was killed right in front of Saja\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.canadahelps.org\/media\/Save-the-Children_Saja.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
At Khanaqeen, Saja was initially very shy and withdrawn, and didn\u2019t want to attend the Child Friendly Space run by Save the Children.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Save the Children opened the Child Friendly Space, my niece managed to convince Saja to accompany her, and she started going there on a daily basis,\u201d said Saja\u2019s mom. \u201cWhen she comes back home, Saja talks about her day at the CFS and the activities. She used to really enjoy school back home, and I think the CFS here reminds her of that.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s Every Child\u2019s Right to Survival<\/strong><\/h2>\nBana and Saja have all experienced more violence and trauma than any child should. They have been forced to leave their friends, schools, and homes and they now take refuge in IDP camps and host communities as they wait for the violence to end.<\/p>\n
At Save the Children, our vision is of a world where every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. Until that is realized, we\u2019ll continue to offer essential support such as healthcare, food, and education to children and their families, because we believe every child has the right to a limitless future. Around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We ensure children\u2019s unique needs are met and their voices are heard.<\/p>\n
We do whatever it takes to reach every last child \u2013 every day and in times of crisis \u2013 transforming their lives and the future we share.<\/p>\n
*Names have been changed to protect identity and privacy.<\/em><\/p>\nTo learn more about Save the Children, or to make a donation, visit their <\/strong>Charity Profile Page<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Bana is a little girl whose life has been completely overhauled by war. Bana is 5 and was born in Syria, and has never known her homeland to be anything other than a place of violence, conflict, and war. Even when their family lived in Syria, Bana wasn\u2019t able to play outside as she was not allowed to leave her house. Her parents were too concerned about the violence outside.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Now living in Lebanon, having fled Syria in search of a better life, Bana and many other children attend Save the Children\u2019s Early Childhood Care and Development activities. These activities are aimed at vulnerable children between the ages of 3 and 5. Through the program, the children receive non-formal educational support, helping them prepare for the formality of schooling when grade one begins.<\/p>\n
Saja\u2019s Story<\/strong><\/h2>\nSaja and her family live in a camp in Khanaqeen, Iraq. They\u2019ve lived there for over a year, having fled their hometown following six months of shelling, and the children\u2019s school becoming a military target.<\/p>\n
Saja\u2019s journey to Khanaqeen was a harrowing one. Saja and her family were in one car, and her aunt, uncle, and cousins were travelling in the car behind them when her aunt and uncle\u2019s car was hit by an explosion and pelted by shelling. Everyone was killed right in front of Saja\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
At Khanaqeen, Saja was initially very shy and withdrawn, and didn\u2019t want to attend the Child Friendly Space run by Save the Children.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Save the Children opened the Child Friendly Space, my niece managed to convince Saja to accompany her, and she started going there on a daily basis,\u201d said Saja\u2019s mom. \u201cWhen she comes back home, Saja talks about her day at the CFS and the activities. She used to really enjoy school back home, and I think the CFS here reminds her of that.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s Every Child\u2019s Right to Survival<\/strong><\/h2>\nBana and Saja have all experienced more violence and trauma than any child should. They have been forced to leave their friends, schools, and homes and they now take refuge in IDP camps and host communities as they wait for the violence to end.<\/p>\n
At Save the Children, our vision is of a world where every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. Until that is realized, we\u2019ll continue to offer essential support such as healthcare, food, and education to children and their families, because we believe every child has the right to a limitless future. Around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We ensure children\u2019s unique needs are met and their voices are heard.<\/p>\n
We do whatever it takes to reach every last child \u2013 every day and in times of crisis \u2013 transforming their lives and the future we share.<\/p>\n
*Names have been changed to protect identity and privacy.<\/em><\/p>\nTo learn more about Save the Children, or to make a donation, visit their <\/strong>Charity Profile Page<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\nBana and Saja have all experienced more violence and trauma than any child should. They have been forced to leave their friends, schools, and homes and they now take refuge in IDP camps and host communities as they wait for the violence to end.<\/p>\n
At Save the Children, our vision is of a world where every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. Until that is realized, we\u2019ll continue to offer essential support such as healthcare, food, and education to children and their families, because we believe every child has the right to a limitless future. Around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We ensure children\u2019s unique needs are met and their voices are heard.<\/p>\n
We do whatever it takes to reach every last child \u2013 every day and in times of crisis \u2013 transforming their lives and the future we share.<\/p>\n
*Names have been changed to protect identity and privacy.<\/em><\/p>\nTo learn more about Save the Children, or to make a donation, visit their <\/strong>Charity Profile Page<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"