Fill 1 Created with Sketch.
hamburger
READ OUR OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON THE U.S. FY2026 REFUGEE ADMISSIONS CAP AND PRIORITIZATION
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH DISPLACEMENT, RESETTLEMENT, DEPORTATION, AND ICE #ANONYMOUSAMONGUS
Stories

Archive

We share stories to move people to act. Explore our stories archive using the filters below, then learn how you can help.

Morena, Afghanistan
Afghanistan

I Was Thinking of Suicide

I am a lonely woman with two children.
Omar, Afghanistan
Afghanistan

My Father Was a Member of the Taliban

Because I am almost fourteen and the oldest son, I am responsible for our family.
Nabi
Afghanistan

The Taliban Slaughtered Gay Men like Animals

It was hard to be gay in my country. You can’t live as a [free] man.
Heydi, West Africa
A West African Country

I Left Because of Religious Conflict

I wanted to stay in Africa, but I wanted my life to be secure, so I came to Europe.
Felix, Nigeria
Nigeria

In Libya Life is No Good

The first day I came to Italy, I had a friend, an Italian friend.
Sanaz, Syria
Sanaz  ·  Syria

The Journey: We Awoke to Find Planes Bombing Above Us

Our life was very good. We were very comfortable and happy.
Larif, Afghanistan
Afghanistan

We Just Want Peace

I don’t want my children to live in war.
Walid, Afghanistan
Afghanistan

I Produced Media Against the Taliban

I graduated with a degree in journalism and joined the Afghan police force.
Radwa, Afghanistan
Afghanistan

I've Been Deaf and Mute Since Birth

When I was old enough, I was forced to marry the head of our region.
Ilhan, Afghanistan
Afghanistan

I Was Tortured Three Times

We decided to leave and sold everything we had; there is no way back.
Rahim, an Afghan currently living in Switzerland
Rahim  ·  Afghanistan

I Fought to Keep My Hope

It gives me a bad feeling … that I am safe and my friends are still in trouble.
Mina, Afghanistan
Afghanistan

I Just Want Him to be Safe

That’s why we came here—so they would not take him away from me.
Bahram, Afghanistan
Afghanistan

A Nonsense Custom

We can’t go back. It is not safe for women there.
“A Message to the World,” Oil on linen by Elizabeth Benson Thayer
Afghanistan

Children Show Us What Humanity Means

Their future is uncertain, and their past is gone forever.
Diana Levaton, Paris
United States

On the Right Side of History

I organized parents; Ben organized students and faculty.
Ben Levaton, Paris
United States

Our Effort Started from Nothing, Now Look What's Happened

One person can make a difference.
Sophia Borletti, Paris
Italy

Hatred Can Be Turned Into Love

I graduate in June. I’m not going to leave working with refugees behind.
Fatima Dzhafarova, Paris
Russia

They Looked Different from Us

“I decided then and there I wanted to become involved in helping refugees.”
Avery Alley, Paris
United States

They Could Easily Become My Friends

… we were interacting with the refugees on a one-to-one basis
Rasheeda, Afghanistan
Iran

I Brought my Koran and Prayer Rug with Me

We left Iran because we are Afghans.
← 8 9 10 1112 13 14 →
201 - 220 of 300 stories
What would you do if you had to leave everything behind?

By the end of 2024, more than 123.2 million people worldwide had been forcibly displaced from their homes due to war, persecution, or human rights abuses.

An increase of 7.2 million over 2023, that’s more than 19,619 people every day — roughly one person every 4.4 seconds.

They arrive in refugee camps and other countries, like the US, seeking the one thing they’ve lost: safety.

Fleeing political imprisonment, ethnic violence, religious persecution, gang threats, or war crimes, they come with what little they managed to carry:

Legal papers – if they’re lucky.

A single backpack.

Sometimes a child’s hand in theirs.

They also carry the weight of what they left behind: fractured families, homes they’ll never return to, professions they loved, friends and relatives they may never see again.

They carry loss most of us can’t imagine – but also the truth of what they’ve endured.

At TSOS, we believe stories are a form of justice. When someone shares their experience of forced displacement, they reclaim their voice. And when we amplify that voice – through film, photography, writing, and advocacy – the world listens. Hearts soften. Communities open. Policy begins to shift.

That shift matters. Because when neighbors understand instead of fear…

when lawmakers see people, not politics…

when a teacher knows what her student has survived…

Rebuilding life from the ashes becomes possible.

We’re fighting an uphill battle. In today’s political climate, refugee stories are often twisted or ignored. They’re reduced to statistics, portrayed as national threats, or used to score political points.

The truth – the human, nuanced truth – gets lost, and when it does, we lose compassion.

We are here to share their truth anyway.

At TSOS, we don’t answer to headlines or algorithms. We are guided by a simple conviction: every person deserves to be seen, heard, and welcomed.

Our work is powered by the people we meet — refugees and asylum seekers rebuilding after loss, allies offering sanctuary, and communities daring to extend belonging.

Your support helps us share their stories — and ensure they’re heard where they matter most.

“What ultimately persuaded the judge wasn’t a legal argument. It was her story.”

— Kristen Smith Dayley, Executive Director, TSOS

Will you help us keep telling the truth?

No donation is too small — and it only takes a minute of your time.

Why give monthly?

We value every gift, but recurring contributions allow us to plan ahead and invest more deeply in:

  • New refugee storytelling and advocacy projects
  • Resources to train and equip forcibly displaced people to share their own stories
  • Public education that challenges fear with empathy
  • Local efforts that help communities welcome and integrate newcomers

As our thank-you, monthly supporters receive fewer fundraising messages — and more stories of the impact they’re making possible.

You don’t have to be displaced to stand with those who are.

Can you give today — and help carry these stories forward?

Support Monthly Give Once
Add Impact to Your Inbox
Sign up for our emails to get inspiring stories and updates delivered straight to you.
Subscribe
© 2025 Their Story is Our Story Privacy Policy
Their Story is Our Story is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization under the United States Internal Revenue Code. All donations are tax-deductible. Our tax identification number is 812983626.