Imagine that you need to leave your home in a hurry. For many of us, it could be the result of an environmental disaster – a flood, fire, or storm. But for millions of others across the globe, the reason they become displaced is much more sinister: war, genocide, or other mass atrocities.
On Jan. 16, sixth-graders at Valley Beth Shalom Harold M. Schulweis Day School in Encino learned about the challenges facing refugees and internally displaced persons during an exercise led by Jewish World Watch. The students faced this central question: With just minutes to escape and begin a journey into the unknown, what would you take with you?
You can try, too. Examine the list below and think about what you would grab first. What might be useful for survival? For bartering? What might be too heavy? Student had to choose just six items to bring.
List of Supplies
1 spare set of clothes
Favorite toy
Thick blanket
Deck of cards
Rain boots
Family photograph
Umbrella
Watch
Raincoat
Baby bottle and baby food
1 pair of shoes
Diapers
Portable toilet[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/3″]
Sewing/knitting box
Money
Plastic sheet/tarp
Jewelry
Book
Camping stove
1 cooking pot
1 first aid kit
Portable chair
Teapot
Mattress
Tent
Set of silverware[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/3″]
DVDs
Camera
iPad
Bar of soap
Flashlight
Sharp knife
Backpack
Basket of food
Sleeping bag
Container of water
Mobile phone
Rope
Portable charger[/su_column][/su_row]
The sad truth is that refugees rarely complete their journey to safety with even these few items. Bags get lost or abandoned at critical moments. Valuables are traded for food or other essentials. People get hurt and must lighten their load.
For millions across the globe, flight is a brutal – and daily — reality. Today, more than 65 million people, roughly the equivalent of the population of France, are displaced worldwide, many fleeing genocide and mass atrocities.
Jewish World Watch supports both sustainable and emergency direct-relief programs that improve the lives of people from places like Burma/Myanmar, Syria, Darfur, South Sudan, and Democratic Republic of Congo. With your help, JWW advocates for legislation to help end ongoing conflicts, as well as prevent future conflicts from breaking out.
You can help transform the world. Learn about ongoing conflicts. Take action by reaching out to your local Representative or signing a petition. Join this year’s Walk to End Genocide. Donate to support Jewish World Watch’s efforts to fight genocide and mass atrocities.