Earlier this year we shared with you the story of Natesha Jana Mohamed, a 16-year-old refugee and Anfa, her malnourished 3 month old daughter who fled their native Somalia to the overcrowded Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya during the height of the drought and famine in Somalia. The devastating famine in Somalia and the subsequent overcrowding of Dadaab refugee camp underscored the need for the United States to continue our global leadership in providing life-saving assistance to refugees and others at risk. By providing refugees like Natesha and Anfa a chance to build a life in a nation blessed with security and food, we honor our roots as a nation of migrants and acknowledge the daily contributions refugees make to our society.
Tomorrow Congress will be meeting to determine how much funding Congress will provide for refugee and humanitarian assistance through September 30, 2012. If members agree on the funding allocations, legislation will move through Congress next week that will have an impact on the United States’ ability to provide critical assistance to refugees overseas and during their transition to the United States.
Today in Geneva, Switzerland, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said, “Protecting and assisting refugees is among my government’s highest humanitarian priorities.” Please visit the LIRS Action Center and tell Congress that yes, protecting and assisting refugees is a priority!