In 2023, the world witnessed the “highest level of displacement” of people on record, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR). A mid-year snapshot by UNHCR recorded 110 million individuals who were forcibly displaced worldwide because of wars and conflicts, persecution, human rights violations, food insecurity, and “climate shocks.”

Amid the burgeoning humanitarian crises, Canadian Jesuits International (CJI) continues to support its Jesuit partners who serve forcibly displaced people through emergency relief and long-term development projects. To maximize impact, CJI works with the Xavier Network, which consists of mission offices and NGOs of Jesuit provinces across Europe, North America, and Australia.

CJI-supported projects in over a dozen countries address the needs of refugees and migrants in areas such as food, health, shelter, psychosocial and spiritual support, child protection, and education.

Here are some highlights:

CJI raised $341,666 to help victims of the deadly February 2023 earthquake in northwest Syria. Its local partner, JRS Syria, was able to provide emergency food, clothing, medical care, and psychosocial support to 40,000 individuals in the first seven weeks after the disaster; rehabilitation work continues.

Teams from CJI partners Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Chad and South Sudan were among the first NGOs to assist tens of thousands of refugees who fled the April 2023 conflict in Sudan.  JRS Chad’s ongoing response focuses on child protection and education, identifying school-age children and qualified teachers so they can be integrated into public schools. JRS South Sudan offers psychosocial and information support for refugees, and recreational activities for children, and basic physiotherapy.

In response to the Russian invasion in Ukraine in 2022, CJI was one of many Jesuit organizations who channeled donations to JRS Europe, which coordinated Jesuit relief efforts in Poland, Hungary, Romania, and other countries receiving refugees. In its first year, the coordinated response raised over €3 million and served 56,000 people, with 20,000 more projected by 2024.