“The IRC At Work” is a newsletter that goes out to some of the IRC’s most committed supporters. In it, we take a moment to highlight their impact and the powerful stories of refugees that are possible because of this community of supporters.

As the lead writer on these projects, I collaborate with a content & creative studio designer on brainstorming and concepting the print issue’s theme—often looking at the season it will be published and the key moment campaign that coincides. Then, I develop the outline of the stories we’ll highlight throughout. After assigning the stories to other writers, I manage and edit their work to ensure it’s on-brand, strong storytelling, and maintains the dignity of the clients we serve.

For each of these issues, I write a letter from the CEO, David Miliband, that ties together the theme of the whole issue and thanks IRC supporters for the work they make possible. I also wrote the “Around the IRC” blurbs you can find on the last page for this issue.

Here’s the letter from David Miliband for the “Women Who Won’t Wait” issue:

Dear friend and fellow IRC supporter,

Mother’s Day always makes me think about the incredible women who are shaping and reshaping lives in the face of immense hardship around the world.

Of course, I think about my own mother. She came to the U.K. at the age of 12 on her own from Poland in 1946. After her father was killed in a concentration camp towards the end of the Second World War, her mother sent her to start a new life with other child refugees in the U.K.

Fortunately, most mothers do not face this kind of trauma. But too many do. And in recent years, many more have.

When floods, droughts, earthquakes and conflict hit, it’s women and girls who bear the brunt of every crisis. We know that they are disproportionately affected—experiencing increased gender-based violence and an increased risk of early or forced marriage as a result of losing their livelihoods.

Women can no longer wait for conflicts and disasters to end, laws to pass or protections to be in place.

That’s why I’m inspired by the women who won’t wait. They choose to step up to be first responders, humanitarians, activists, advocates, changemakers, peacebuilders.

We’ve seen it in our programs around the world, whether working towards economic empowerment, health, or safety—women won’t wait. Regardless of the barriers, IRC staff members, clients, volunteers and partner organizations have gone on to uplift entire communities and create their own futures.

These are the stories I’m honored to share with you in these pages today.

When women can provide a safe environment for each other and heal through the cathartic movement of dance like Olga from Ukraine shows us on page 6, when women can safely raise their newborns in the midst of war in places like Syria featured on page 4-5, and when women are empowered to change the world in ways we see on page 7, we will start seeing safer, more equitable and peaceful societies everywhere.

At the IRC, we’re committed to fighting for a world where women can stand up, be heard, and choose their own futures. And I’m so grateful to have people like you who support us and commit to doing the same.

All the best,

David Miliband

President and CEO
International Rescue Committee