Photo: John Salangsang/Shutterstock
Liza Koshyis here to help.
The 26-year-oldsocial media personalityand upcoming star ofTransformers: Rise of the Beastsrecently traveled to Jordan withUNHCR, the UN Refugee agency,to support Syrian refugees — a mission she inherited from her older sister Olivia.
In Koshy’s opinion, it’s the humanity that is too often overlooked.
“Refugee is a term with a lack of understanding,” she says. “Simply put, the equation is ‘refugees equal humans,’ and that is the story we need to know. It allows us to be exposed to a different culture that, when mixed with ours, makes our plate all the more savory or all the more sweet.”
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Koshy has seen that analogy play out literally: As part of her work with UNHCR, she has participated in an activity with refugees in which they swap foods representing their different cultures. A Syrian refugee, for instance, passed a plate of falafel to Koshy, and she shared a plate of curry.
“And then we shared a conversation while indulging. Imagining the fusion of flavors in our cultures on one plate makes it all the more layered and nuanced. And that’s what my partnership with UNHCR is all about.”
“It’s been 12 years [total] that these families have been living in Jordan,” she says. “There are 33 schools now in the Za’atari camp. There’s community centers they’ve created. And they also have another camp, Azraq Camp, that houses 40,000.”
“They provide shelter. They’re called caravans, but they’re essentially temporary buildings given to these families. But the caravans have an expiration date, and it’s coming up.”
While in Jordan, Koshy spent time in a caravan with a refugee named Rania, who lives with her mother and siblings.
“The walls are deteriorating. They’re making do with what they have, but that’s why UNHCR needs all the more attention and awareness and information,” Koshy explains. “That’s where all the funds, the donations, play a key part.”
Koshy was also introduced to Dania, a young mom taking care of her son, Jude, while her husband struggles with his vision.
That traumatic experience of fleeing her home in Syria pained Dania too much to reflect upon, though she told Koshy that her son, Jude, brings her “joy” and “hope” for the future. Dania also emphasized how helpful the UNHCR has been.
“In Jordan, they face adversity as young women. School bullies still exist in their world, as if there isn’t enough on their plate. So the TIGER program helps them face those bullies and approach them with love and kindness, unlike the way they’re being treated.”
“It’s caused a stir within my soul,” she concludes of her experience in Jordan. “I’ve crafted a public-facing career so these more private, unheard, untold stories have a chance to have the mic held up to [them]. I am so honored to do that. It’s their stories that need to be heard.”
For more on Liza Koshy, pick up this week’s issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere now.
source: people.com
