International Rescue Committee Photo Essays

Afghanistan Education

Jamie.Kelso — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:59:32 +0000

Two decades of conflict in Afghanistan have destroyed more than bricks and mortar. It has torn its social fabric and created a long-lasting education crisis. An entire generation of Afghans have grown up with virtually no education.

Community-Driven Reconstruction Project

samir.ahmad — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:54:48 +0000

In the wake of civil war, the International Rescue Committee is working with communities in South Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo, to rebuild their lives. The reconstruction project is community-driven, with many in the area directly participating.

Life in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya

karyn.gladstone — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:30:24 +0000

(July 2008) The IRC provides services to thousands of refugees and members of the local community in Kakuma camp, northern Kenya. The camp is currently home to an officially estimated 53,000 refugees from countries like Sudan, Somali and Ethiopia.

The camp population has dropped from highs of more than 90,000 as many Sudanese refugees have been resettled recently. However, these refugees leave behind empty houses which provide an ideal hangout for thieves at night.

Afghans in pictures: Reluctant return (BBC)

karyn.gladstone — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 17:15:45 +0000

(May 2008) In April and May 2008 International Rescue Committee's senior policy adviser Anna Husarska went to Pakistan and Afghanistan to help highlight the plight of the Afghan refugees and returnees. Here is the story of the departure of Afghans from the largest remaining camp in Pakistan, the Jalozai refugee camp near Peshawar as told in Anna's photos.

This photo essay originally appeared on the BBC NEWS website.

Myanmar: Clinging to Survival

karyn.gladstone — Sun, 25 May 2008 17:24:58 +0000

(May 2008) While aid deliveries have increased to cyclone-ravaged communities, hundreds of thousands of survivors continue to languish—waiting in desperation for more food, water and medical care to arrive. As the International Rescue Committee’s Melissa Winkler reports, every day IRC teams have been delivering urgent relief supplies to people barely clinging to survival. (All photos taken by IRC staff and volunteers)

Nepal Faces the Future

karyn.gladstone — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:42:25 +0000

(April 2008) An estimated 13,000 people were killed during the decade-long civil war between the government and the Maoists in Nepal, one of the poorest countries in the world. A peace accord was signed in 2006 and recent elections, that will help determine Nepal’s future, were deemed largely fair by observers. But, for most people, life is a daily struggle in the Himalayan nation. Text and Photos: PETER BIRO

Help and Hope for Iraqi Refugee Children

karyn.gladstone — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 18:02:35 +0000

Among the more than four million people uprooted by the crisis in Iraq are hundreds of thousands of desperate children who have lost homes, relatives, friends, and all else that was once safe and familiar. Children in Iraq live in a state of constant fear and the daily violence keeps many from going to school and doing other normal activities. For those who have fled across borders, there are other challenges, including limited chances to resume education. Wherever they are, the violence and displacement has left deep scars.

Responding to an Outbreak of Deadly Ebola in Congo

karyn.gladstone — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 18:16:10 +0000

(December 2007) September 2007 saw an outbreak of the lethal Ebola virus in the southern province of Kasai Occidental in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Ebola virus, spread through contact with infected people, often proves fatal within two to three days and there is no vaccine or treatment for the disease. Within days of the outbreak, IRC teams were on the ground, providing logistical support and much-needed supplies to the Congolese ministry of health, as well as training health staff and communities in areas bordering the outbreak zone.

In Somalia, They Die of Thirst

karyn.gladstone — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 21:47:09 +0000

(October 2007) In July 2007 a two-person team from the International Rescue Committee – country director Bruce Hickling and senior policy adviser Anna Husarska – went to Somalia to carry out an assessment of humanitarian needs in the north of the country. Here is the story of the most urgent needs that we encountered as told in Anna’s photos. They can be summarized in just one word: Water.

Soccer Without Borders

karyn.gladstone — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 21:59:27 +0000

(August 2007) Forty refugee kids from around the world gathered at a field in Oakland, California, this month for six days of soccer drills, exercise and tournament-style games. The soccer camp was organized by the IRC and Soccer Without Borders. Though only a week long, the camp managed to build a community where students of different national, religious and ethnic groups could come together and forge friendships.

Back to School For Darfur Refugee Children

karyn.gladstone — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 22:05:46 +0000

(August 2007) As the Darfur crisis enters its fifth year, more than two million people remain uprooted, including hundreds of thousands of school age children.

In Darfur and neighboring Chad, the International Rescue Committee offers programs that provide critical learning, healing and recreation for more than 30,000 young people who have been forced to flee their villages.

World Refugee Day: Refugee Students' Winning Photos

karyn.gladstone — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 04:00:00 +0000

(June 2007) Four refugee students resettled by the International rescue Committee in Oakland, California, have been recognized by the National Geographic Society for photographs taken as part of a national World Refugee Day photo contest. Refugee students in grades 4 to 12 from all over the U.S. took part in the contest sponsored by UNHCR and its goodwill ambassador Angelina Jolie.

Refugee Girls' Hoops and Dreams

karyn.gladstone — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0000

For a group of refugee girls in San Diego, basketball practice isn’t just an after-school activity: it’s a way of learning about U.S. culture and exercising their new freedoms. Earlier this month, the IRC's Emily Holland took these photos and sat courtside with some of the players to find out more. (April 2007)

Caught in the Conflict: How the IRC is Helping Women Survive

karyn.gladstone — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 17:34:12 +0000

(March 2007) When war forces women to flee their homes, the risk of rape follows them and the threat of domestic violence grows. Through education and advocacy the International Rescue Committee partners with communities and local institutions to prevent sexual violence and protect the human rights of women and girls. Our counseling programs help survivors to cope and heal. And the IRC works at the local and international levels to change the beliefs, attitudes and practices that perpetuate violence against women.

Empowering Women in Liberia

karyn.gladstone — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 05:00:00 +0000

(February 2007) In Liberia, the International Rescue Committee is helping women rebuild their lives after 14 years of civil war and working to create safer communities for women and girls. The IRC’s Rebecca Hankin recently visited IRC programs in Liberia and shared these photos.

Darfur's Displaced Children

karyn.gladstone — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 05:00:00 +0000

(February 2007) Sudanese children who have fled the Darfur conflict with their families arrive daily at displaced persons camps. They come from different villages. Some have been attacked.

Darfur Portraits

karyn.gladstone — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 05:00:00 +0000

(February 2007) Violence in Darfur has increased dramatically in recent months. Hundreds of thousands of newly displaced people have sought refuge in overcrowded camps, joining the more than two million who have already been driven from their homes. IRC humanitarian affairs director Gerald Martone recently returned from Darfur and shared these portraits of courageous Darfurians--some of them new arrivals and some of them facing their third year in the increasingly insecure camps.

Safe Spaces for Children in Darfur

karyn.gladstone — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 05:00:00 +0000

(February 2007) Children throughout Darfur experience tremendous loss as they are forced out of their homes and away from friends, families and familiar environments. The International Rescue Committee supports 59 "child friendly spaces" in Darfur where children can learn, play and begin to heal from their trauma. On average, 25,000 children come to these centers each day. IRC humanitarian affairs director Gerald Martone shared these photos from a recent visit to a child friendly space in South Darfur.

In Darfur, a Place of Calm amid the Crisis

karyn.gladstone — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0000

(January 2007) Across Darfur, the International Rescue Committee has created safe centers for women who have been affected by the conflict. They enjoy a variety of activities there, including singing, dancing, drawing and henna painting. Most important, the centers provide a calm space to talk about what has happened to them. These photos were taken by women who work at the IRC's women's center in Hamadiya Camp, Zalingei.

Tom Brokaw in Rwanda

karyn.gladstone — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 05:00:00 +0000

(January 2007) Twelve years after Rwanda's horrific genocide, Tom Brokaw, co-chairman of the International Rescue Committee Overseers, is visiting IRC programs that are helping Rwandans reestablish trust and rebuild their communities.

Photos by Emily Holland and Michael Despines/The IRC