Fill 1 Created with Sketch.
hamburger
READ OUR OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON THE DETENTION OF REFUGEES AND ONGOING COMMUNITY VIOLENCE
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH DISPLACEMENT, RESETTLEMENT, DEPORTATION, AND ICE #ANONYMOUSAMONGUS
Stories

Connected Communities

Souleymane Adam 065
Souleyman  ·  Sudan

Surviving Darfur

We Left it All to Save Our Lives
Mahdi
Mahdi  ·  Afghanistan

Crossing Deserts and Jungles

DSC06518 Meredith Kelley
Muhammed  ·  Afghanistan

We Are Thirsty For Opportunity

If you want a job, go out and look! Finding employment as a refugee.
Sana Kawoon
Sana Kawoon  ·  Afghanistan

Every Girl Needs Education in Every Country

Teenagers from Afghanistan advocate for education for those who were left behind.
Hilary Cohen
Hilary Cohen Singer  ·  United States

The Difference Between Politics and People

Sarah Merwin
Sarah Merwin  ·  United States

Bridging Gaps and Fostering Hope in Kansas City

Ryan Hudnell
Ryan Hudnell  ·  United States

I See You, I Want to Know You

How Refugees Weave Color into Our Communities
Leisa McDonald Executive Director
Leisa McDonald  ·  United States

Matthew House Creates Community Where Community is Missing

Leisa McDonald and Her Welcome Teams Fill the Gaps with Friendship and Housing
Elwaad Samatar
Elwaad Samatar  ·  United States

Advocacy through Storytelling

A college student uses her voice to fight for others
Jean Michel
Jean-Michel  ·  Switzerland

Community: Where We Learn From Each Other

A Swiss Immigrant Serves Refugees With Love.
Martha
Martha  ·  Myanmar

A Burmese Woman Remembers Her Past and Finds Her Future in Farming

New Roots, A Farming Program for Refugees, Provides Job Security and Flexibility for a Burmese Woman
Len
Len  ·  Myanmar

A Woman From Myanmar Stands on Her Own Two Feet Through Farming

New Roots Provides Flexibility and Freedom for Myanmar Mothers
Aung
Aung  ·  Myanmar

Farming is Familiar

A Myanmar Refugee Grew up Farming and is Able to Continue to Learn and Farm in Her New Home
New Roots Sign
Salai  ·  Myanmar

Farming is in My Blood

A Burmese Farmer Supplements His Income Through Programs at New Roots
Peng Bu
Peng Bu  ·  Myanmar

Self Expression and Happiness through Farming

New Roots Gives a Burmese Refugee New Knowledge and Experiences.
Rubi Hernandez
Rubi Hernandez  ·  Mexico

A Young Single Mom Fights “With the Power in Her Heart” to Make a Life for Her Kids

This Country is for Growth, Not for Staying in One Spot
Tawmeh
Tawmeh  ·  Myanmar

A Woman Raised in a Refugee Camp Becomes a Successful Farmer

Enoch
Enoch  ·  Myanmar

New Roots Provides Peace with a New Place and a New Farm

Biak Par 2
Biak Par  ·  Myanmar

The New Roots Program Helps A Refugee from Myanmar Grow and Thrive in Her New Home

Edgar-story
Edgar  ·  Guatemala

I Came to America for a Better Life when I was 14

← 1 2 34 5 6 →
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


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
© 2026 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.