Stories
The latest stories from UNHCR.
Photo: © UNHCR/Roland Schonbauer
We take special care to bring you the latest refugee news and stories of the men, women and children we help each day.
From Syria to the Simbas: How Saleh Al Osman found belonging through soccer—and now helps others do the same
Under the fading evening sun in Terraview Park, you’ll often find Saleh Al Osman pacing the sidelines, cheering on kids with a whistle around his neck and a quiet confidence in his voice. For Saleh, the soccer field isn’t just a place to play—it’s where communities...
Refugees in Belfast find friendship, freedom and confidence through football
After arriving from South Sudan aged 18, Mary found purpose and support at Street Soccer – a Belfast scheme for refugees and youth – and at a centre run by the Irish Football Association. By Sarah Hayward in Belfast, United Kingdom Four years to the day since she...
UNHCR’s Grandi: critical funding gap may force deeper cuts to refugee aid
In his final opening statement to UNHCR’s Executive Committee plenary, the High Commissioner warns that a $300m hole in the 2025 budget could further hit support to refugees.
‘Soccer is everything’: How Dacious Richardson’s love of the game helped him heal from a childhood shaped by war
From a childhood shaped by war in Liberia to building one of Vancouver’s most dynamic youth initiatives, soccer has remained a constant through every chapter of Dacious Richardson’s life. For him, it’s only the beginning of unlocking the game’s potential.
‘I’ll keep telling our stories until the world listens’: Milad Rajabi’s mission to create a space for refugees to be heard
From photographing displaced families in Afghanistan to becoming a refugee himself, Milad Rajabi has seen both sides of the story. Now in Canada, he is using his podcast Refugee Talk to amplify refugee voices and advocate for refugee-led change.
Uganda continues to welcome refugees despite diminishing funds
More than 75,000 Sudanese refugees have arrived in Uganda, where resources are stretched with crowded schools, inadequate shelter, and limited access to food and health care.
Leveling the field: How Nyota Katembo turned refugee roots into a rising soccer career
When Nyota Katembo steps onto the field, everything else fades away; the noise, the pressure, the weight of her past.
‘We thought we would never sing again’: How Maryam Masoomi escaped the Taliban and rebuilt her life in Saskatoon
When the Taliban seized Kabul in August 2021, Maryam Masoomi was a university student who suddenly found herself helping lead the escape of more than 200 people—herself included. That experience now shapes her work with newcomer youth at the Saskatoon Open Door Society, the very organization that helped her rebuild her life in Canada.
‘We made it!’ How soccer helped Farkhunda Muhtaj find her purpose
For Farkhunda Muhtaj, soccer is much more than a game. Captain of the Afghanistan Women’s National Team, now playing for Calgary Wild FC in the Northern Super League, she represents both Canada and Afghanistan with pride, purpose, and unwavering resolve.
A badge of hope: One former refugee’s mission to change lives and reimagine policing
When Mustafa Popalzai arrived in Canada as a 14-year-old refugee from Afghanistan, he had little more than hope. Today, the Toronto police Detective Constable is a driving force behind a grassroots initiative to change lives for thousands of newcomers, but also help heal the mistrust many carry from painful encounters with police in their homelands.
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