“It is a great honor to address this webinar today. We are here to shine a light on the profound challenges faced by the refugee community from the loss of political stability and family structures to the daily struggle of adapting to a new way of life. Above all, we are here to advocate for our collective dignity and hope.
Many within our community carry deep emotional wounds and invisible scars of trauma. In the search for consolation or an escape from this pain, some may turn to substance use. While this is often a response to overwhelming suffering, it unfortunately threatens to destroy the very future they have worked so hard to reach.
Our mission is to reach out to them with compassion, not judgment. We must educate our brothers and sisters on the risks of drug use while simultaneously offering them a vision of a better future. To move forward, we must address the past; forgiveness (of others and of ourselves) is a vital key to unlocking the chains of trauma.
Together, through solidarity and care, we can help survivors transition from a place of pain to a life of purpose and peace.