September 3, 2025

Standing Together for Refugees

by Fatima Naqvi
A graphic with colorful overlapping lines converging above the bold text "WHERE WE RISE" and the tagline "United, loud, defiant, abundant" below, symbolizing standing together for refugee support. | Support refugees across Europe in Greece, France, the UK and the Balkans

“We have barely a few weeks of advance funding before we reach the line at which we need to close and wrap up our activities.”

This is the devastating reality facing many of our partners. Across Europe, grassroots organisations – the lifeline for refugees – are at risk of shutting down; just when they are needed most. At borders, brutality rises. People seeking safety endure violent pushbacks at borders. And when they are finally here in Europe, they often find that the only help available comes from grassroots organisations – small NGOs that are themselves struggling to survive.

Where We Rise is 30 NGOs coming together not just to work but to survive. United by one fundraiser, that’s proudly hosted by forRefugees, we are fighting to keep refugees’ dignity, safety and rights alive. Together we are working to raise €1 million to sustain humanitarian care, push for systems change and resist the political abandonment of refugees.

The need is urgent. Organisations on the ground are being forced to close their doors, even as demand for their services grows. Funding has dropped to its lowest levels in a decade, leaving small groups – those closest to displaced communities – desperate for support. Yet, it is precisely these groups that have held the line for years, quietly and defiantly providing food, shelter, legal aid and dignity.

Your support can make a tangible difference today:

· €10 could provide a displaced female with sanitary pads for a month, so she can attend school or work with dignity.

· €50 could deliver a legal information session to dozens of people, equipping them to engage their rights.

· €150 could train professionals from displaced backgrounds to drive long-term change.

· €1,000+ could keep a community centre open for a week, offering therapy, classes and hygiene kits.

None of these struggles are isolated. From Palestine to Sudan, Afghanistan to the Mediterranean, they are interconnected, tied to the same systems of injustice that criminalise movement and devalue lives. Our response, too, must be united, loud, defiant, and abundant.

We, on behalf of our partners, ask not timidly, but with conviction: join us. Donate if you can. Share the campaign on social media. Amplify refugee voices.

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