Thousands of refugees escaping violence and persecution travel along the Central Mediterranean Route – from sub-Saharan Africa, through Niger to Libya and some on to Europe. These asylum seekers face the dangers of the world's harshest extreme environments: the sea and the desert.

Nathalie Elam is an MSW graduate student at the University of Washington and is also currently enrolled in the Graduate Certificate of Global Health program. They are currently fulfilling their practicum hours as a WARN Advocate Intern and providing case management services to survivors of human trafficking at the IRC in Seattle.

Nearly two and half years after President Obama’s Executive Action offering the opportunity for minors from Central America to access the refugee resettlement program, Hilda Galvez, a Honduran native, cried joyfully as her five-year-old son, Ever, was escorted through the gate at Newark Airport near midnight on March 9, 2017.

Lauren Lehman speaks about her experience volunteering with the IRC as a logistics intern this summer, and about the great responsibility and privilege she feels in setting up apartments for newly arriving refugees and ensuring that they feel safe and welcome in their new homes.

To better gauge Afghans’ hopes and fears regarding the future of the country, IRC researchers consulted 136 of the 650 Afghans who serve on our staff across the country. This report highlights their observations and outlines recommendations for international engagement in Afghanistan beyond 2014.