Connected Communities

Marzia and Razia snow photo
Marzia and Razia  ·  Afghanistan
Giovanny 3 2
Giovanny Francisco Torrealba Ramirez  ·  Venezuela

Help Me to Keep Helping

We walked until we thought we must be lost. A truck driver gave me a ride. It took seven hours. Can you imagine how many days that would have taken to walk?
Nathalie
Nathalie - Democratic Republic of Congo  ·  Democratic Republic of the Congo

You Look Undeniable

"I still have more dreams..."
Midwives of Cox Bazaar
Midwives - Cox Bazaar  ·  Bangladesh

Midwives of Cox's Bazar

"I am midwife, with women for a lifetime..."
Marta Vazquez
Marta and Israel  ·  Honduras

Mi Casa Es Su Casa

"I was like half in the U.S. and half in Mexico but I finally made it through..."
IMG 2958
Emilia  ·  Honduras

Arrival: I Took Sanctuary

I Fear for my Daughter's Life and My Own
Rita 2018
Rita  ·  Iraq

I Wanted to Be in Charge of My Destiny

In America, people follow their dreams
Zeze Rwasama
Democratic Republic of the Congo

Where You Are Needed

Maybe it's not about what you want to become, it's about where you're needed.
WHAT WE CARRY Rasheeda
Rasheeda  ·  Iran

The Journey: What We Carry

I pray most of all for my children who are still in Afghanistan and Iran.
Hania, West Africa
Haniah - West Africa  ·  Ghana

Arrival: Law

"He left me with two babies and went to Libya ... I wemt to Libya, but I didn't find him."
OUR LIVES BEFORE Leonard Bagalwa
Leonard  ·  Democratic Republic of the Congo

Our Lives Before: Born a Survivor

Forced to be a rebel then a spy, Leonard was protected by the pygmies
Julie Anderson, Frankfurt, Germany
United States

She Established a Library for Refugees

I’m thankful to be a small part of this.
Christine Dolan, Paris, France
Christine Dolan  ·  United Kingdom

I Was Called the Sock Ambassador

There are many desperate people…
Brown Family
United States

Bikes for Refugees

“We’re your friends, so let’s break down the walls”
Kayra Martinez, Greece

The Art Creates Support for Families and Children

When I dropped off my first carload … I asked, “May I stay and help?”
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.
“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
← 1 2 3 4 5 67 →
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


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.