Andrii Kokorin, 52, and his wife Mariia Borysova, 39, will never forget the day they met. They were restoring an old monastery together in Ukraine—Andrii as a builder and carpenter and Mariia as an artist.  “You sat down next to me, and, by some divine providence, I gave you my hand, and you gave me yours,” said Andrii.

Chadia and her daughter Nour fled Syria years ago. Now, for World Refugee Day, they’re opening up about how the experience shaped them—and how they’re now in turn helping shape their new home for the better. When asked her favourite thing about her mom Chadia Bchir, 15-year-old Nour Alsaleh says without hesitation, it’s her smile.