Our Stories

Today, nearly 40 years later, JRS and JRS/USA has grown to a scope and size that challenges even the imagination of that vision. In turn, numerous programs abroad now flourish thanks to an ever-growing partnership with our largest supporter: the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.

This past year has not gone as we had expected or planned, but with the support of our advocates, donors, and friends, we’ve still been able to make a significant impact for our refugee brothers and sisters. As we look back at this year, we are humbled by the resilience of the people we serve, the ingenuity of our colleagues around the world to continue to serve, and by our supporters’ generosity.

Dying to Live: Stories from Refugees on the Road to Freedom tells the stories of people who have been forced to flee their homes in their own words. For Jesuit Refugee Service’s 40th Anniversary, some famous faces and friends of JRS read some of these stories. Bringing light to the refugee experience is critical to dispelling fear and creating a culture of welcome for all refugees and migrants.

While we celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe’s Feast Day, let us mirror her actions by supporting individuals who have been forced to flee their homes. Just as Mary humbly revealed herself to Juan Diego, so to must we welcome those who have been marginalized in society have important contributions to make.

This holiday season, you can find that perfect gift to nestle underneath the Christmas tree – or share with friends and family – while supporting refugee artisans and Jesuit Refugee Service!

Lual Mayen is a former refugee from South Sudan. His parents fled Bor during the Second Sudanese Civil War. Lual was born along a 200-mile journey to a place of refuge. He built his first video game in a refugee camp and was supported by Jesuit Refugee Service.

From all of us at Jesuit Refugee Service – Happy Thanksgiving! This year has come with many unexepected challenges, but we are thankful to our supporters, friends, staff, and mostly importantly, the refugees we serve for demonstrating supreme resilience.

As renewed lockdowns have magnified sexual and gender-based violence for many women and girls, refugee families are not immune as they too are spending more time indoors where survivors may be more susceptible to abuse. Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) works in numerous locations within these countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Cameroon. The report reveals that cases of domestic violence have soared with more than 70% of the interviewees reporting a rise in intimate partner abuse.

Since 2017, the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) has served in Bertoua, Batouri, and Garoua Boulai in East Cameroon. JRS provides pre-school and primary education to about 28,000 refugee and Cameroonian children, as well as vocational training and women´s empowerment projects.