This World Refugee Day, on June 20, we at BLOOM choose to see and serve a child—a child who represents millions of others around the world. A child living through conflict, displacement, marginalization, and uncertainty. A child carrying invisible burdens while demonstrating remarkable resilience and courage. A child holding on to the simple joys of childhood while seeking safety, healing, and the chance to rebuild.
In 2026, World Refugee Day carries special significance. The UNHCR theme, “Until Everyone Is Safe,” reminds us that safety is not divisible. No community is truly secure while those forced to flee are denied protection, dignity, and the opportunity to rebuild their lives.
For BLOOM, this theme reflects our mission to serve marginalized children and families across the globe. We believe that caring for those affected by conflict and displacement is both a moral responsibility and a shared commitment—one strengthened through meaningful relationships, compassionate services, and collective action. Whether in orphanages, shelters, displacement camps, hospitals, or remote villages, we strive to meet children with dignity, care, and a holistic approach to healing by creating spaces for connection, guidance, and community.
This Eid was especially meaningful for BLOOM. Through the dedication of our volunteers and local partners, we created opportunities for joy, play, self-expression, learning, and emotional healing for children living in displacement camps and conflict-affected communities across Palestine, Egypt, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
In Afghanistan, our team visited Atatürk Hospital and distributed Eid gifts to approximately 120 hospitalized children. Our volunteer groups also continued their outreach across seven tribal communities, reaching more than 700 children.
In partnership with the Haya Washington Foundation, BLOOM distributed shoes to 364 students at Haya School in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Through our distribution centers in Morocco, Qurbani donations were also used to provide meat to children living in orphanages.
Our work focuses on several key program areas. We mobilize resources for children in crisis, develop recreational spaces in orphanages and underserved communities, and partner with local organizations to deliver enrichment programs that enhance well-being and opportunity. We also support at-risk mothers through prenatal vitamins, nutritious meals, lactation assistance, infant formulas, and access to clean water, helping create healthier beginnings for both mothers and their babies.
While humanitarian relief efforts in Palestine remain a primary focus, our global initiatives continue to grow thoughtfully and intentionally. In Afghanistan, we recently launched our second children’s mental health initiative. Local partners have described it as a groundbreaking effort that introduces innovative forms of care previously unavailable to many children. In Swat, Pakistan, BLOOM is in the early stages of building a computer lab within an orphanage to expand educational opportunities and digital access. Future plans include virtual mental health services and additional enrichment programming.
Our journey began with a small but meaningful pilot project: the first Play Garden, established in 2017 at an orphanage in Meknes, Morocco. Since then, BLOOM has built 12 playgrounds, including Morocco’s first handicap-accessible playground in Casablanca. Together, these spaces have provided more than 24,000 children with safe, nurturing environments where they can play, grow, and thrive.
Over the past nine years, BLOOM has hosted more than 250 enrichment programs across Morocco, Egypt, and Gaza. With the support of generous donors, more than $1 million has been raised and distributed to communities in need, while over 2 million meals and 2 million liters of water have been provided in Gaza and Palestine alone.
However, beyond every statistic, project, and milestone is a child. At BLOOM, we believe healing extends beyond meeting basic needs. Food, shelter, and humanitarian aid are essential, but so too are mental well-being, a sense of belonging, and opportunities for joy, learning, and hope.
As we observe World Refugee Day 2026, we reaffirm our commitment to standing alongside displaced and underserved children and families—not only until they are fed, sheltered, or relocated, but until they are safe, supported, and empowered to build brighter futures.
Author: Sanaa Aijaz
