#4 12 and 83

02/06/18 • 15 min

A Way Home Together: Stories of the Human Journey

What does a 12 year old refugee have in common with the 83 year-old head of the International Organization for Migration, William Lacy Swing? Listen and find out.

Basel Al Rashdan was 6 when his family fled Syria. They spent three years living as refugees in Jordan. Today he lives on Prince Edward Island in Canada, a world a way from the home he left behind. Basel and Swing both had to redefine their idea of home. And both of them—for very different reasons—-have become public voices on the need for safer and more secure migration.

What does a 12 year old refugee have in common with the 83 year-old head of the International Organization for Migration, William Lacy Swing? Listen and find out.

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#3: Mariam’s Migrant Journey: Gaza to New York

Ahmed speaks to Mariam Abuamer, a singer based in Brooklyn, New York. Born in the Soviet Union and having grown up in Palestine, Mariam’s migrant journey is marked by struggle, persecution, empowerment, and freedom.

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#5 A Survivor from the DRC Rebuilds His Life in Texas

Espoir was an infant when his family fled for their lives. He is a survivor of the civil war in The Democratic Republic of The Congo (DRC).Today, nearly two decades later, Espoir is a making a new life for himself in Austin, Texas.

We hear about his extraordinary journey and what he has learned about identity and new beginnings. Espoir is interviewed by our host Ahmed Badr, himself a refugee, who also moved with his family to the United States.

This episode also includes an update from Jean-Philippe Chauzy, Chief of Mission in the DRC for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on the worsening situation.

The spread of local violence has become a great threat to the lives of many millions of people. Malnutrition and unrest, largely caused by regional conflict, especially in the eastern part of this vast country, has forced many to leave their homes. Today, there are more than 4 million internally displaced people in The Democratic Republic of the Congo.