---
title: "Take a small step towards solving a big problem"
description: "Every year, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) publishes an overview of the refugee situation around the world. This year’s figures show that, over the last decade, the number of displaced people has grown rapidly. In fact, since January 2012, the total has more than doubled, to an alarming 82.4 million today."
url: "https://www.nrc.no/perspectives/2021/take-a-small-step-towards-solving-a-big-problem"
language: "en"
published: "2021-07-01T12:02:32Z"
modified: "2021-07-01T12:02:32Z"
---

![Ahlam is a 27 years old woman who lives in Algarad, the internally displaced camp in Lahj Governorate. She fled from Taiz 1,3 yrs ago. “The clashes were very strong near our houses and our relatives could not go out to bring food or water. One day my husband went out to his regular work in a construction site, and received a number of bullets that took his soul and he left us”. Now she is a widow with no support, and she is looking after four children (Adyan 4 years old, Ahmed 6 years old, Taypa 8 years old & Fatima 10 years old). “I was afraid that bullets and snipers in the mountains will kill us if we approached these areas. I did not expect that my life would take this tragic turn and I would be left alone to take care of myself and my children”. Her daily routine in the camp includes cooking breakfast for her children, but some days they do not have enough food for everyone and she has to go hungry for days so that the children can eat. She also prepares the children for school and her eldest daughters help her to bring water and firewood to the tent. Most of the people from her village have fled including her family, but they are not here in the camp with her. The weather in the camp is terrible and they do not have a proper roof so rain and dust in the windy weather gets inside their tent. They do not have appropriate shelter and now summer is coming with its hot winds. It will be difficult to move around under the sun’s intense heat. Her message to the international community is to support us and our children in the displacement camps. “Help us and protect our basic rights of living in dignity. What we need most in the camp are food and water that provide us with our daily necessities in life”. Photo: Ingrid Prestetun/NRC](https://www.nrc.no/globalassets/images/fr2021/take-a-small-step/yemen-6.jpg)

# Take a small step towards solving a big problem

Lillian Setran Published 01. Jul 2021

[Global](https://www.nrc.no/themes?categoryId=23) [Global displacement overview](https://www.nrc.no/themes?categoryId=302)

Ahlam, 27, is a widow and mother of four. She was forced to flee her home in Yemen several years ago. Photo: Ingrid Prestetun/NRC

This article was first published more than 5 years ago

Every year, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) publishes an overview of the refugee situation around the world. This year’s figures show that, over the last decade, the number of displaced people has grown rapidly. In fact, since January 2012, the total has more than doubled, to an alarming 82.4 million today.

But is there anything we can do, as individuals, to help?

The short answer is YES! Luckily there are things that all of us can do to help. It’s also absolutely necessary that we choose to do so, if we are ever going to see an end to this crisis.

Every person deserves a dignified life, and every person matters. Even if the statistics seem overwhelming, helping people is always worthwhile. Even if you just manage to help *one* person, it makes the whole world of difference to that person.

### So, what’s the problem?

The problem is not the displaced people themselves, it’s the situation that they find themselves in. The vast majority are just people like you and me, who have been forced to leave everything behind and flee to safety because they have no other choice.

The horrific challenges that many displaced people face are unimaginable to most of us. Yet they manage to keep going and keep searching for the light at the end of a very dark tunnel.

![Monique and her children stand outside their new home in DR Congo. They were forced to hide in the forest for five months after armed men attacked their village. Photo: Itunu Kuku/NRC ](https://www.nrc.no/globalassets/images/fr2021/take-a-small-step/p1034540.jpg)

Those of us lucky enough to have been born in a safe corner of the world should act in solidarity with those who are not so lucky. Instead of viewing refugees as our enemies, we really should be inspired by them, and strive to make the world a better place for everyone, little by little.

Here are three things you can do to help people who have been forced to flee:

### 1. Use your vote!

**Elect political parties that have humane refugee policies.**

To end the refugee crisis, we need society as a whole to step up and take an active role in solving the problem. One of the best tools we have for achieving this is voting in alignment with these values at election time.

There are many things that governments can do to support the refugee cause. They can take their share of responsibility for protecting refugees and make sure they’re not sent back to dangerous situations. Wealthy countries can also increase their support for people living in conflict zones, helping them to rebuild their own societies.

By using your vote, you can push your own government in this direction. This sends a message to other countries: “Look, in our country we care about human beings across the globe. It’s time for you to acknowledge your responsibilities too.”

![Stella, a community mobiliser with NRC in South Sudan, demonstrates handwashing as a way of protecting against Covid-19. Photo: Egily Hakim George/NRC ](https://www.nrc.no/globalassets/images/fr2021/take-a-small-step/3h1a1191.jpg)

### 2. Donate to a humanitarian organisation

**Contribute to real and lasting change for millions of people forced to flee their homes.**

Many humanitarian organisations around the world are working around the clock to protect and support displaced people.

Here at the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), we have 75 years of valuable experience helping displaced people. Like other humanitarian organisations, we live by the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. This means we work to support those who need it the most, no matter who they are or where they come from.

In 2020 we assisted almost 12 million people in need. When taking action, we try to focus on lasting solutions as well as emergency aid. For example, we provide education, help people to earn a living, and offer legal assistance to those in need. If we are going to continue to help displaced people, we need your support.

***

*NRC works to support refugees and displaced people in over 30 countries around the world.* [*Support our work today*](https://www.nrc.no/make-a-difference-today)

![Social emotional support facilitator Chadi Zein helps children affected by the Beirut explosion to deal with stress at an NRC learning centre. Photo: Sam Tarling/NRC ](https://www.nrc.no/globalassets/images/fr2021/take-a-small-step/_mg_7919.jpg)

### 3. Spread the word

**By sharing information about the refugee cause, you can challenge “fake news” and do your part to encourage more understanding and collaboration.**

The internet is full of misinformation. Refugees are often presented as economic opportunists, or even as potential terrorists who seek to destabilise and destroy Western societies. These claims are untrue, and worse still, they’re dehumanising.

Refugees are people like everyone else, and they certainly do not deserve to be perceived as “the enemy”. There is no “us” and “them”, just us.

None of us wants to live in a society characterised by unfairness and blatant lies, and so we should do our best to speak up when we encounter “fake news” of this kind. Did you learn something from one of our articles, for example? Then share it or tell a friend about it! Raising awareness about a problem is the very first step towards solving it.

\*\*\*

It’s easy to feel hopeless when we read and hear stories about the awful situations that displaced people face. However, it’s important to remember that no situation is hopeless until everyone loses hope. And why should we lose hope when there is so much we can do, and when displaced people themselves keep on hoping and striving for a better life?

Every great change in the world starts with small steps. Take your first step today.

### Read more about global displacement

## [82.4 million people displaced in the year of the pandemic](https://www.nrc.no/shorthand/fr/82.4-million-people-displaced-in-the-year-of-the-pandemic/index.html)

18. Jun 2021 | Global displacement

## [Four steps towards ending the refugee crisis](https://www.nrc.no/perspectives/2021/three-steps-towards-ending-the-refugee-crisis)

29. Jun 2021 | Perspective

## [What does it really feel like to flee?](https://www.nrc.no/perspectives/2021/what-does-it-really-feel-like-to-flee)

17. Jun 2021 | Perspective

## [A few countries take responsibility for most of the world’s refugees](https://www.nrc.no/shorthand/fr/a-few-countries-take-responsibility-for-most-of-the-worlds-refugees/index.html)

01. Nov 2020 | Global displacement

## [These 10 countries receive the most refugees: 2010–2019](https://www.nrc.no/perspectives/2020/the-10-countries-that-receive-the-most-refugees)

01. Nov 2020 | Perspective

## [The world’s most neglected displacement crises in 2020](https://www.nrc.no/shorthand/fr/the-worlds-most-neglected-displacement-crises-in-2020/index.html)

27. May 2021 | #neglected