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Urgent refugee crisis
It is with a heavy heart that I am reaching out today.
It is likely you have seen the tragic story and equally heartbreaking
photos of young Aylan Kurdi, a 3-year-old Syrian who perished in the
Aegean Sea, along with his mother and 5-year-old brother, during their
attempt to flee from violence in their Syrian home to the Greek island
of Kos.
To date, more than 11.5 million Syrians have been displaced by violence.
Worldwide,
nearly 60 million people have been driven from their homes by similar
humanitarian crises. Many have applied for legal acceptance into other
countries, but have resorted to paying smugglers thousands of dollars to
risk unsafe voyages across water and land when those applications are
rejected.
The United Nations estimates that some 2,500 people
have lost their lives on these risky journeys, including young Aylan,
his brother Galip and their mother Rehan.
In
close coordination with our international partners, CRS is responding
to the European migrant crisis with immediate assistance including food,
water, and access to sanitation and medical care in countries including
Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey, Iraq, the Balkans, Ukraine and others.
May blessings overflow,
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Dr. Carolyn Y. Woo
President & CEO
Catholic Relief Services
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