San Miguel, El Salvador is a hub for migrants from across the region. And, often times, it is a shared faith, namely Catholicism and Protestantism, that links newcomers and locals together. In this article, Jocsan Blanco and Fernanda Escobar explore how churches go beyond spiritual support in aiding migrants—from helping them meet basic needs, find jobs, feel part of a supportive social network, and more—a testament to the power of faith organizations in facilitating migrants’ social integration.
Shatila, Beirut, Lebanon
Sara Sakhi and Lyn Hariri write about how the Intisar Foundation’s Drama Therapy program promotes psychological wellbeing for woman refugees in Shatila, and suggest that Drama Therapy has the capacity to unlock resilience and healing—not only for refugee women, but for the locals and practitioners who work with them and share their common sisterhood in a country that so often silences women’s voices.
San Jose, Costa Rica
The arrival of LGBTQ+ Nicaraguan refugees in Costa Rica is not a new development. On the contrary, it has occurred for decades, changing over time due to migrants’ different security, employment, and educational needs—which went unmet in Nicaragua. There are two main categories of Nicaraguan migrants: those who migrate seeking better working conditions or jobs and, more recently, those exiled for political reasons (such as university students exiled for engaging in anti-government protests). Camila Cuevas Barberousse and Michelle Vargas explore these issues in this article.
Al-Hasakah, Syria, & Albany Park, Chicago, USA
Sydney, Australia
This case report examines how young people, like the author, interact with the legal system in Australia and focus on the three areas of law practiced by Legal Aid: Civil, Criminal, and Family. It will look through the lens of the author’s experience moving to Fairfield as a refugee and now working in refugee services.