The Refugee Archive

About The Refugee Archive

The Refugee Archive preserves and amplifies the voices of refugee single mothers and other female-headed households (FHHs). We began as a doctoral project. Today, we are the largest digital archive focused on the lives, leadership, and knowledge of displaced FHHs. We work wherever refugee and internally displaced FHHs live. Why it matters Single mothers in displacement face stacked barriers and heavy scrutiny. Income is uncertain. Childcare falls on one person. Access to work, housing, and services is shaped by systems built around male guardianship or two-parent norms. Safety risks rise as support networks shrink. That is a double and sometimes triple load. There is another side to the story. These women hold communities together. They are educated, skilled, organized, and quick to solve problems. They run households, small businesses, and neighborhood support systems. When their stories are heard and their skills are recognized, families do better and communities benefit. This is why we record, teach, publish, and convene. Not to speak for them, but to make room for them to be heard. What we do Research and scholarship: Partner with universities and institutes, support new studies, and give scholars a place to share their work. Education and training: Fellowships, internships, and short courses that help refugees and early-career practitioners document and analyze stories and take those skills forward. Policy and advocacy: Webinars, publications, and gatherings that bring evidence and lived experience to people who shape policy. Culture and public engagement: Exhibitions, books, podcasts, and digital media that bring these histories into classrooms, galleries, and public conversations. Archival collection: Consent-based oral histories and mixed media gathered with trusted community partners. Ethical and secure stewardship is our standard. If you are a researcher, NGO, funder, or refugee leader, let’s talk.

View contact profiles from The Refugee Archive