Today marks the beginning of World Refugee Week.
As we celebrate the courage, resilience, and contributions of people who have been forced to flee their homes, we want to take a moment to remember that for millions of refugees around the world, the journey to safety is far from over.
As public attention shifts from one crisis to another, many refugees face an uncertain future with fewer resources and less support than ever before. Yet their need for safety, opportunity, and belonging has not disappeared. This is why we created the Stand in the Gap campaign.
Stand in the Gap is a coalition of organisations working together to support refugees and displaced people across Europe. We believe that when we join forces, we can reach more people, respond more effectively, and create lasting change in individual lives.
Today, we would like to give you a glimpse into one of those lives.
Ali arrived in Europe from Afghanistan as an unaccompanied child. He spent his first months in Moria camp on Lesvos, one of the most overcrowded refugee camps Europe has ever seen. Later, he was transferred to Athens, where he waited another two years before he could finally attend school. For most teenagers, school is a normal part of life. For Ali, it was a dream that took years to become reality. He lived in a shelter for unaccompanied minors and worked hard to build a future. But as his 18th birthday approached, another reality loomed over him. He knew that as soon as he received his documents, he would have to leave the shelter. With no family, no home, no financial support, and no adults to guide him.
Many young refugees say that their 18th birthday is the saddest and most stressful day of their lives. Instead of celebrating adulthood, they face the fear of homelessness. Overnight, they are expected to find housing, buy food, navigate bureaucracy, and continue their education.
How would any 18-year-old manage that alone? Too often, they cannot.
Many are forced into homelessness. Others abandon their education. Some are exploited simply because there is no-one standing beside them.
But this story can have a different ending.
When you donate to our Stand in the Gap Campaign, you become part of the support system that young people like Ali desperately need. Your gift tells a young refugee: "You do not have to face this alone." And right now match funding is available, so your donation can have twice the impact!
The organisations in this coalition are committed to being present where the needs are greatest. We work together because lasting change happens person by person, story by story, life by life.
But none of this happens without people like you. This World Refugee Week, we invite you to stand in the gap.
Stand in the gap between a young person and homelessness.
Stand in the gap between isolation and community.
Stand in the gap between uncertainty and hope.
Most importantly, stand in the gap for young people like Ali, whose future can still be transformed.
Together, we can ensure that turning 18 is not the end of support, but the beginning of opportunity.
Thank you for standing with refugees when the world is too often looking away.
Picture credit: Riccardo De Vita
