After devastating destroyed her home in Burundi, Alphonsine and thousands like her are rebuilding their lives with IOM’s support, proof that with compassion, resilience, and sustained climate action, recovery is possible.
IOM
In August 2015, Tropical Storm Erika devastated Petite Savanne, Dominica, claiming over thirty lives and obliterating homes and livelihoods. The area was declared unsafe, forcing families like Vinora’s to relocate to Bellevue Chopin, a government resettlement community. While safer, it lacked the familiarity and sense of belonging that Petite Savanne provided. Elders like Athena lament the loss of community life and social connections. The impacts of climate change are escalating, making such dislocations more common. The people of Petite Savanne strive to rebuild, emphasizing the need for collaboration and lasting solutions to protect lives and dignity.
Mok, once a jewellery factory worker in Thailand, recalls her longing for home during her three years abroad. In Laos, nearly one in five families depend on remittances from migrant workers like her, who take on tough jobs to support their families. Forced to leave for better income, Mok felt a deep duty to provide for her loved ones. Now, she has transformed her life by cultivating mushrooms at home, earning a steady income while being present for her family. She sells her produce locally and cherishes the moments spent watching her children grow and sharing meals together.
After fleeing panic during an earthquake, Nicaraguan migrant Tamara Baltodano found new purpose in Peru, training to save lives and proving that courage knows no borders.
Dr. Yacoub Aden Abdi’s relentless advocacy transformed mental health from a neglected issue into a national health priority in Somaliland.
In Abu Shouk camp, North Darfur, Jamila and her four children live under a thin plastic sheet, facing daily struggles for survival. Once, they ran a grocery shop in Zalingei, providing dignity and community. War changed everything; a shell destroyed their home and her husband disappeared without a trace. Fleeing with her children, she endured a harsh journey filled with hunger. Now at the camp, she works in exchange for food, but it’s never enough. Despite the overwhelming loss and uncertainty, Jamila remains determined to keep her children alive. With millions displaced in Sudan, her story reflects the profound struggle for safety and hope.
At 65, Mariam Kamano leads grassroots mediation in Guinea’s Forest Region, resolving cross-border, land, and family disputes with patience, persistence, and unwavering dedication.
Giselle and José, from Venezuela, met in MucajaÃ, a small town in northern Brazil, where they bonded over high school and quadrilha rehearsals. José shares that dancing the quadrilha eased his loneliness and helped him feel at home in Brazil. The quadrilha junina, a lively folk dance filled with colorful costumes and joy, plays a central role in Brazil’s mid-year festivities, attracting thousands in Roraima, where they now live. Amid a wave of over 700,000 Venezuelan migrants in Brazil, many have benefited from Operation Welcome, a government initiative launched in 2018 with ’s support, which offers humanitarian support and relocation opportunities for rebuilding lives.
In war-scarred Tigray, displaced families at Maidimu navigate profound loss with dignity, turning survival into renewal through water, art, play, and quiet acts of resilience.
After a decade apart and years of hardship abroad, sisters Doha and Natija return to Syria to rebuild their lives with the support of community-based services that offer legal, psychosocial, and housing assistance.
After years of silence and struggle, 15-year-old Merve’s life transformed with a single hearing aid, unlocking her confidence, connection, and dreams for the future.
In Quito’s historic house, migrants find refuge, community, and support from landlord Francisco. They share stories of resilience and hope while building new lives together.
When he began practicing medicine several years ago, Dr. Jürgen Adam Sánchez believed his role was to treat diseases. However, working closely with migrant children and adolescents, he quickly realized that the deepest pain is often not physical but rooted in the stories these young migrants carry with them along their journeys. Sánchez is a Mexican physician specializing in public health based in Hermosillo, Sonora. At 29, he has served as a shelter coordinator, university professor, and activist. Sánchez advocates for compassionate healthcare and believes in the potential of migrant youth to break cycles of violence, emphasizing the importance of strong peer support networks alongside access to services. He is committed to creating a fairer world for migrants.
Like many others on the Horn of Africa to Yemen route, a 20-year-old Ethiopian woman became a target of traffickers. Months later she found safety at IOM’s Migrant Response Point in Sana’a, where she gave birth.
Through powerful survivor testimonies and public art, IOM Moldova brings visibility to trafficking victims and strengthens national response efforts.