This blog is written by Elis Morgan, a Year 12 pupil at Ysgol Plas Mawr who spent a week with us on work experience.
Fear,uncertainty and loss. This is the everyday reality for 65 million refugees who are forced to leave their homeland due to war and violence.
In this video, Oxfam and partners have come together with the world-famous singer, Alicia Keys, to create a video which follows three people who have to flee their home. The only difference is that it comes from the perspective of an American family. The story begins in Los Angeles, where war has left a tear in society. Suddenly, life is changing rapidly. Without warning, they must leave their homes.
While watching this video, I ask you to consider, what would you do in their position?
Atrocities like these are part of everyday reality for many people. The only way to avoid it is to flee. We must not forget that these families are not simply choosing to flee; there is no other choice left to them. Families put their lives in jeopardy in order to find shelter, and it is our responsibility to protect. Unfortunately, as you can see in the video, it is often children who suffer the most in these crises. According to the UNHCR, more than half of all the refugees from Syria are 17 years old or younger. Many
are separated from their families while fleeing, or are completely lost amid the horrors of fighting. How can we expect such young children to look after themselves in these difficult situations?
Despite the heart-breaking start to the film, there is hope. The empathetic response of the Mexican police men reminds us that each refugee is an individual, each with their own story, and that everyone should be cared for and treated with compassion. It’s very easy to be desensitized to all the news coverage and all the statistics, but we mustn’t forget that each refugee is a person, just like you and me.
Today, refugees are the world’s most vulnerable people, and we, as global citizens, have a responsibility to help them. To Stand As One in solidarity with refugees is easier than you might think. You can do this by writing a letter of welcome to refugee families who have recently arrived in Wales, to welcome them here and help them settle in.
You can also sign Oxfam’s Stand As One petition, calling on all world leaders to work together at the UN to provide a global solution to the refugee crisis. And you can also help raise fund for Oxfam’s emergency refugee crisis appeal. Oxfam is currently helping more than 1.5 million people: refugees in Jordan and Lebanon, as well as communities inside Syria, providing them with clean water and food. This work is only possible with your support. Oxfam’s
support is crucial to save lives in the short term but work also gives refugees hope of a future. We must defend their rights, and speak up for the voiceless.