We hear about refugees every now and then but has it ever crossed your mind to understand who they are and the challenges that cross their parts? No one prays to be a refugee but you need to be informed just in case you become one or find someone who is one; so that you can understand their plight and how to help.
Who is a Refugee?
A refugee is someone who is forced to leave his home country to another country due to some sort of crisis like, war, hardship, persecution, etc. This means that they are displaced from their homes to live in another country just to preserve their lives.
It is important to note that internally displaced people (IDP) are not the same as refugees. IDPs are people who forcefully leave their homes to refuge in another part of the same country. They do not become refugees until they crossed international borders from their country to another one for safety.
The number of refugees across the world is increasing every year. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 50 million refugees have been helped since 1951. What about those others that are not recorded or that did not get through the UN agency for refugees? The world needs peace.
What are the Problems Faced by the Refugees?
Let’s take a closer look at the challenges that stare at the refugees in the face in their host country. They are as follows:
Language Barrier
The first evident challenge is a language barrier. A refugee who doesn’t know the language of the host country would have a problem in relating with the citizens of the host country. This means the refugee will not be able to discuss with people and do basic things like buying and selling, making new friends, following simple instructions, reading signs, etc. Even when they enroll to learn the language, it will take a long while to learn the new language.
Separation from Friends and Families
Separation from friends and family members and being unsure of their status is by far the greatest torture for refugees. Even though they are safe in a strange land, their mind can never be at rest because they are not sure about the wellbeing of their other family members.
Housing Problem
Refugees always have an issue with accommodation. Sometimes they are able to get accommodation through agencies but that is for those who are lucky enough to find their way to these agencies. Truth be told, some of that accommodation is overcrowded and has no private living. Also, everyone knows that good housing would cost a fortune, the question borders on how the refugees would get such money to secure it when they don’t even have access to good jobs. This is one major problem for refugees.
Also Read: Special Prayers for Refugees
Employment
Usually, when refugees come into a new country, they are willing to take any job that is available. Unfortunately, good jobs are not usually available because employers want people who have experience in the country and they may not have respect for certifications outside the country. Even the ones that they eventually get do not give career progression. They find it hard to rise through the cadre to the top because they are refugees.
Cultural Beliefs
Coming into a new environment with different culture and way of life can be challenging. This means the refugees will need to learn the way of life in the new environment and adjust accordingly. The different stress to unlearn what was learned and live with the new ones will look like changing the person entirely. This will affect their dressing, food, interaction, etc. It is a new life entirely! Although, they would eventually yield to it but it is painful and it will take a while before they are fully yielded.
Raising Children
Every time people become a refugee in another country and they have kids, a huge problem comes with raising those kids there. First, it is about the laws guiding raising kids and their education. How do you even help the children catch up with the education when the parent still struggling with the language? It is such a huge challenge to bring up children in a strange land. Most of the time, the children will be faced with issues of discrimination and bullying because they are different and may not even understand the language enough with poor academic performance.
Refugee Negative Exposures
In many countries, refugees are exposed to negative things such as abuse, rape, violence, etc. The worse side of this is that they are not able to access professional services for help because of their status. In cases where they are able to talk to professionals for help, the language barrier hits so deep. There are cases where refugees are treated wrongly because of miscommunication. It is a lot of pain to go through issues like these and have no comfort or justice for it when they actually escaped into the country for the same reason.
Recognition and Documentation
Another great challenge refugees face is a lack of recognition which ultimately hinders them from accessing some services or taking part in things that may be worthwhile. Also, it becomes extremely difficult to obtain legal documents that can give them the license to do things either because of racism, language barrier, nationality, etc. This leaves them in a state of high confusion and pain as they would not be able to enjoy or do certain things that would have made life better for them.