Youth

Aicha gazes out the window, her crystal blue eyes taking in the gray sky outside a hospital near the Syrian border in Jordan, where she has been recovering for a month now. She was badly injured after her house in Dara’a, Syria was destroyed in a mortar attack.

Six miles from the Jordan-Syria border there’s a safe haven for more than 20,000 Syrians who have fled their homes. Though far from the fighting, the refugee camp is still a distressing place for children and youth who make up almost half of the population. One of the few escapes the children have is a local playground constructed by Mercy Corps last year.

The presence of hundreds of thousands of displaced Syrians, including countless vulnerable youth, is one of the most familiar – and challenging – aspects of the current Syrian refugee crisis. Most of these displaced youth are living in cities and towns in often desperate conditions, where a very different humanitarian response is required than in traditional camp programming, where most of the long-term expertise in the humanitarian community lies.

U.S. foreign assistance is not only a critical piece of U.S. foreign policy – it is important for millions of the world’s most poor and vulnerable striving to improve their lives. That’s why it’s crucial that we understand what works and what should be prioritized. These decisions must come from individuals who are engaged with the issues, have decades of experience, and possess personal knowledge of the challenges.

The last few years, mergers and acquisitions have been common topics of discussion, but what does that mean for nonprofits? Plan International USA concluded its first acquisition about two weeks ago: we are taking on the assets of the Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA). CEDPA, created almost 38 years ago, is an international NGO based in Washington, D.C. It was one of the very first organizations to focus specifically on issues relating to the development and advancement of women and girls.