When we’re surrounded by loved ones, it can be hard to imagine that as a result of armed conflict, disasters and migration, thousands of people around the world become separated and lose contact with their family members.
The Red Cross Restoring Family Links program may not be as well known as first aid or disaster relief, but to families looking for family members, sometimes after decades of separation, it’s a lifeline. Red Cross societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) work together to re-establish contact with family members through a tracing process.
We wanted to share a few moving examples of reunifications made possible through this program.
Amina never expected to hear her mother’s voice again. Nearly 20 years had passed since she had last seen her mother, just before a bomb destroyed her family home. The attack sent the 11-year-old girl running for her life through the war-torn streets of Mogadishu, Somalia...
You can read the rest of Amina’s story here and find out how she was reunited with her mother by the Canadian Red Cross after 17 years of separation. You can also check out the interactive puzzle that illustrates how many steps it can take to reunite loved ones.
This short video tells the story of a family in Haiti reunited after being separated during the 2010 earthquake.
The ICRC has just re-launched their Restoring Family Links website with tools to find family members and more inspiring stories of families reunited.