A lifeline for refugees in Indonesia

In Indonesia today, over 14,000 children, women and men are suffering.

These people have fled conflict, persecution, discrimination and other forms of violence in their homelands. Seeking safety and the opportunity to live full, free lives they have endured unimaginable hardships, indignities and trauma.

Yet, when our sisters and brothers arrive in Indonesia they find themselves trapped, with no support, in a state many describe as “a living hell”.

While they await refugee status determination and resettlement – which can take years – they are forced to fend for themselves, with no support for shelter, food, employment opportunities, healthcare or education.

Without help, thousands are living in extreme poverty, sleeping on the streets, surviving day to day.

The befriend program

In response to this humanitarian crisis, our local partner, Jesuit Refugee Service Indonesia (JRS), have established the ‘Befriend towards dignity during refuge in Indonesia’ program.

This vital program provides essentials including financial support for food, rent and transport, access to healthcare, and livelihood opportunities to refugees and asylum seekers who have fallen into extreme poverty.

The Befriend program is a life-line for people like Nasarallah and Fatimeh*, who come from a mountainous region in central Afghanistan. The couple are Hazara people, an ethnic minority that has suffered extreme persecution at the hands of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Nasrallah’s father and brother were both killed by the Taliban, so when he was held prisoner and threatened with death, he decided to flee to Indonesia with Fatimeh.

“When we were on the plane I was feeling great and well,” Fatimeh said. “I thought: ‘We are saved. The Taliban won’t kill us.’”

Upon arriving in Indonesia, Nasrallah and Fatimeh’s passports and phones were taken from them. They were detained, relocated and forced to appear in court multiple times before being separated and sent to jail for one month. In jail Nasrallah was beaten and tortured. Fatimeh became very sick and her weight dropped to just 40kg.

Upon their release Nasrallah and Fatimeh had nothing – no family, no friends, nowhere to live and no money. Even the clothes on their backs were given to them.

But the Befriend program was there to accompany them, ease their burden and provide life-saving practical support.

With the uplifting assistance of the Befriend program, today Nasrallah and Fatimeh have a safe place to live, financial support for rent and food, and help to establish a small income stream while they await resettlement.

Find out more

• Read more about the Befriending Refugees program
• Explore all our programs
  

* Names have been changed to protect the identity of the courageous couple who told their story.