Voices of Refugees in Libya on World Refugee Day 2025

On World Refugee Day and every day, we pause to listen. To remember. To witness.
More than 313,000 people from Sudan have arrived in Libya since April 2023, fleeing war, persecution, and uncertainty. Some came alone. Others came with nothing but their children and clothes on their backs.
Through every journey, one thing remains constant: hope for peace, education, and returning home.

In this photo essay, we share the stories of three refugees. Each offers a glimpse into what it means to be displaced — and what it means to hold on to humanity.

Radeyya: A Mother’s Plea for Peace and a future for her family

📍 Tripoli | Sudanese, Mother of four

Tripoli (Libya) June, 2025. Radeyya and her husband shares laughs with her children Duaa, Awab, Sulyman and Maab during World Refugee Day activities. Photo: UNHCR Libya / Ziyad Alhamdi

“I need education for my children. I want them to have a future.”

Radeyya fled Sudan iseeking safety. Today, she lives in Tripoli with her husband and four children — aged 13, 12, 9, and 6 — none of whom have had access to formal schooling.
“I want to thank the Libyan people — our brothers and sisters. They gave us clothes, food, and shelter when we had nothing,” she says.

Still, her voice carries a deeper longing — one that stretches beyond borders.
“I want the international community to hear from us. Please help end the war in Sudan so we can go home. I don’t know what the future holds — the uncertainty is overwhelming.”

 Jeto & Ikram: Found Family, Built from Loss

📍 Tripoli | Ethiopian caregiver, 29 | Caring for four unaccompanied children

Figure 1Tripoli (Libya) June, Jeto, carefully helps seven-year-old Ikram string beads during an art session at the World Refugee Day celebration. Photo: UNHCR Libya / Ziyad Alhamdi

“Ikram is my daughter, my sister, my everything.”

Jeto is just 29, but she has become the guardian of four children who fled without their families. One of them is seven-year-old Ikram, who has changed her life.
“We laugh together, eat together, and share a small space we call home. She’s taught me what resilience really means.”

Jeto has a message for the little girl who became her world:
“Dear Ikram, I love you. You made life easier. I hope you grow up to be the doctor you dream of becoming — and that you always keep your kindness.”

Ahmed: Alone, but Unbroken

📍 Tripoli | 14 years old | Separated from family

“Sudan is my home. And home… is my mother.”

At just 14, Ahmed crossed the desert alone in search of safety. He had lost his father in Sudan and did not know where his mother or siblings were.
“I left Sudan and came to Libya for peace,” he says softly. “War is terrifying — especially for children.”

His words are simple, but urgent:
“Please make peace happen in Sudan. I just want to go home, Sudan is my nation, and it is an obligation to go back”

Three voices, among thousands, carry grief, strength, and love across borders.
As conflict continues in Sudan and in other countries around the globe, we must not look away. Every child deserves an education, but even more, a childhood. Every person deserves peace. And every refugee deserves dignity and the chance to live, thrive, and dream in safety.
 

*Name change to protect identity