Contributors

Sarah Smart

Community Liaison, Switzerland

Sarah's interest in refugee stories is rooted in her historical and professional work--but most deeply in her personal experiences. She wrote her dissertation on the immigration and integration of Polish exiles into post-war Great Britain and has worked on many projects that serve refugee populations in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa with the global foundation, Mankind is my Business (MIMB). Yet, her most impactful experiences were during her time living in Bangkok, Thailand, where many of her friends were displaced persons and asylum seekers. Now living in Switzerland she is dedicated to continuing the work of listening to those who have had different lived experiences and amplifying the voices of the marginalized. She works as the director of strategic programming for MIMB and loves to be in nature and eat ice cream.

What would you do if you had to leave everything behind?

By the end of 2025, more than 117.8 million people worldwide had been forcibly displaced by war, persecution, or human rights abuses — and 45 million of them are children.

They arrive in refugee camps and countries seeking safety and carrying little: legal papers, if they're lucky. A backpack. A child's hand in theirs.

What they carry that we can't see is heavier: fractured families, homes they'll never return to, professions they loved, friends and relatives they may never see again.

In a climate where immigrant stories are often ignored or twisted, we believe stories are a form of justice. When someone shares what they survived, they reclaim their voice. When we amplify it through film, photography, and advocacy, the world listens. Hearts soften. Policy begins to shift.

Because when a lawmaker sees a person instead of a statistic, and a neighbor understands instead of fears, rebuilding becomes possible.

Your support helps us share these stories where they matter most.

— Kristen Smith Dayley, Executive Director, Their Story is Our Story

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