Hands of Hope

Note: I've received quite a lot of emails enquiries but I won't be able to reply them at the moment since access to the net is limited at the moment. The streamyx line is fine but the PC is not and was sent to the clinic for the past few days but it seems that it's still not very stable. So I won't be able to reply your emails. I'm doing the best that I could at the moment, so please bear with me for the time being. Thanks.

I've promised the good people at United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to highlight about this on World Refugee Day on 20 June 2008 but since I did not have access, this will have to make do.



This June for World Refugee Day, be part of the Hands of Hope movement in support of refugees.

It’s hard to imagine what it must be like to be a refugee. To see your village torn apart by war. To escape under horrific conditions to an unfamiliar land where you don’t speak the language. To be alone, surrounded by strangers, not knowing who you can trust, not knowing what tomorrow will bring.



Yet for thousands of refugees in Malaysia and millions more worldwide, this is the story of their lives. But you can help bring happy endings to these tragic stories. There are so many things you can do, and one of them is by learning more about refugees.



You can start by viewing the Hands of Hope video clip (at YouTube http://youtube.com/watch?v=d9yTcRm99_A or at the UNHCR Malaysia website www.unhcr.org.my). This video clip blends powerful narration and music with beautifully-rendered graphics to tell a compelling tale of a refugee girl’s flight of terror from war and separation from her family, only to find greater uncertainty and danger while in exile. It was produced pro bono for the UN Refugee Agency by advertising agency EURO RSCG Kuala Lumpur, and has now been circulated worldwide.



It doesn’t take much to restore hope to refugees today. You’ve taken the first step by reading this and by wanting to learn more.



Go to www.unhcr.org.my to learn more about World Refugee Day and refugees, or send an email to infomalaysia@unhcr.org to receive updates from us on refugees in Malaysia. Pass this message on to a friend and get the word out.

You can help turn their tragic endings into stories of hope.