Support the resettlement of up to 50,000 refugees from North Africa and surrounding countries with RefugePoint and Focusing Philanthropy

As always, Focusing Philanthropy covers all overhead costs. 100% of every donation will go to the Emergency Response Fund campaign.

THE NEED

The refugee crisis has metastasized in alarming ways in recent months as more refugees have flooded into Libya from across North Africa and surrounding countries seeking a path to Europe. Now being prevented from crossing the Mediterranean Sea, ~50,000 (with more on the way) are trapped in this politically unstable country that has become a global center of child trafficking and slavery. About 25% of these refugees are unaccompanied children. The vast majority are teenagers and young adults.

THE GOAL

Focusing Philanthropy and RefugePoint are partnering to raise $1,000,000 to support the resettlement into European countries of 50,000 refugees this year and next.  This effort leverages RefugePoint’s deep experience and credibility in handling challenging refugee resettlement cases.  Since 2005, RefugePoint has directly orchestrated 54,000 permanent resettlements into 13 countries and indirectly contributed to the resettlement of nearly 1.2 million others.  Now RefugePoint will apply those skills and relationships to this new humanitarian emergency, playing its unique role and working in concert with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), European Union countries and other aid organizations.

The Emergency Response Fund campaign will cover the costs and institutional support of 14 RefugePoint staff to address the crisis in three mutually reinforcing ways:

  1. Direct Service – Direct case management for the resettlement of 2,100 unaccompanied children and other refugees most at risk
  2. Field Building – Training of UNHCR staff, local governments, and NGOs to strengthen their capacity to perform resettlement services at a far greater scale
  3. Systems Change – RefugePoint staff in Geneva to work with UNHCR headquarters to increase the effectiveness of response efforts

If any of its costs of this initiative are subsequently covered by the UNHCR, RefugePoint will use the replenished funds flexibly to help ensure the target is reached and to maximize its resettlement impact.

THE GIVING MATCH

Focusing Philanthropy will add $1 for every $1 raised by RefugePoint donors, for up to $500,000 in matching support toward the overall campaign goal of $1,000,000.

To qualify for the match, donations must be directed to Focusing Philanthropy and a minimum of $1,000. Donations are fully tax deductible and 100% of funds contributed will go to the Emergency Response Fund campaign. All Focusing Philanthropy costs are covered by its founders.