Ines who volunteered with the IRC in Silver Spring to reunite children with their parents now provides them critical services

Boi Pessima came to the U.S. in 2005 to reunite with her father and siblings to obtain better care for her daughter Mary but leaving her oldest son behind in Sirra Leone. Five years after receiving her green card, she applied for citizenship but was denied twice. She reached out to the immigration team at the IRC and with their support she was able to pass her interview. Now, fourteen years after her arrival in the U.S., she is a U.S. citizen and is excited to vote.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Arizona commemorates the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. The United Nations designated June 26th as it marks when the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishments came into effect in 1987. Yet in 2021, over 30 years later, torture continues to permeate societies around the world, despite torture being an international crime.

Meet Sharefa Daw, Resettlement Caseworker at the IRC in Dallas.

A new grassroots initiative allows everyday Americans to welcome and support refugees. Find out how to get involved.