Rabia Afghan and her family arrived in the United States in April 2022 as part of “Operation Allies Welcome,” fleeing the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. Initially welcomed by IRC staff member Bill Tuffin in Virginia, their paths crossed again in January 2023 when Bill, now an Employment Specialist at the IRC in Denver, was tasked with helping Rabia find employment. Despite language barriers and the challenges of resettlement, Rabia secured a job at a local hotel and, through determination and support from the IRC, was promoted within two years. Her story highlights the critical role of community support in helping refugees rebuild their lives and the ongoing challenges they face in their new homes.

The United States has begun relocating a group of Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants. The International Rescue Committee is providing services for these individuals and families, including resettling them to new communities across the US, including Arizona!

Every year on World Refugee Day, the United Nations releases the updated number of individuals displaced around the world by conflict, disaster and persecution. In 2024, more than 100 million individuals are forcibly displaced from their homes.

From former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to rapper M.I.A., meet five refugee women who have made a mark on history.