Katie*, a Sri Lankan displaced person, fled her home country about 15 years ago due to her family’s involvement in political persecution. She is now 22 years old and lives in Thailand with her family, where she worked as a former JRS receptionist for the Urban Refugee Project (URP)- JRS Thailand. A chance that would undoubtedly offer her and her loved ones a glimmer of hope and peace.

Katie shared how she gets involved with organizations like JRS during our conversation. She met and was inspired by other refugee interns who were dedicated to helping refugees and using their newfound knowledge to make a positive impact on society during her time in two trainings: one for interpreters with JRS Thailand and another for digital marketing through the MTC (Make the Change Program), a collaboration of JRS Singapore and JRS Thailand’s Urban Education Project. Following this program, she was able to secure an internship with JRS Singapore, solidifying her interest in serving refugees.

Katie told us about her background, when she was eight years old, she accompanied her mother to various organizations in Thailand, and she witnessed firsthand the difficulties her mother faced as she sought assistance from each one, only to be mistreated, looked down on, ignored, and turned down. She stated that “One of the main reasons I wanted to work was to relieve the strain on my mother’s shoulder, and when I got the chance to work in this position, I wanted to work more and more with organizations that serve refugees because I can relate to client’s feelings and situations.” She chose to become a receptionist for JRS in order to alleviate some of the hardships she witnessed as a child; she vowed to treat every client with dignity and respect and to do her best to assist the refugee community.

Katie shared with us that she found peace and hope while working at JRS Thailand because she was able to support herself and her family, and the JRS Thailand staff treated her like her own family “I wasn’t sure about other organizations, but at JRS Thailand, everyone was treated equally, and I enjoyed hanging out with them; they had become like a family to me.”

In the embrace of JRS Thailand, Katie discovered more than just a job; she found a sanctuary of peace and hope. Through the challenges of her own displacement, she unearthed a profound sense of purpose in assisting others who shared a similar journey.

*Name and personal details have been changed to protect the identity of the person