On Tuesday, December 3, 2013 10AM EST, Refugees United is joining Google+, Mashable and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) as one of the partners in the first ever live “Hangout-a-thon,” a 12-hour event on Google+ that will feature content from a variety of nonprofits, celebrities, and socially responsible businesses.
The initiative is part of #GivingTuesday, a nationwide effort in the US to inspire people to give back to their communities and to raise awareness about nonprofit organizations that work to give back everyday.
Building on Refugees United’s successful Google+ Hangouts On Air Series entitled #FamilyIs, Refugees United and partners will participate in an opportunity for individuals to give back and donate to over 25 charities directly from a hangout. This conversation will profile Rahma (name changed for security reasons), a Somali native living in Nairobi, Kenya. Rahma reconnected with her brother, father and 3 sisters after 22 years of separation due to the work of UNHCR and Refugees United. This Google+ Hangouts On Air will also feature interviews with representatives from UNHCR and Refugees United to discuss how they work together to connect families separated by war, conflict and disaster.
Viewers can watch the live event on Google+ or Mashable.com.
While this is the fourth #FamilyIs reconnection aired on Google+, it is the first that will be streamed on Mashable.
The first three live family reconnections as part of the #Familyis Campaign are available on Youtube for those who missed it. On November 19th, a Congolese man reconnected with his uncle after seven years of separation. Last week, a Congolese family was together for the first time in six years. And last Wednesday, two Congolese brothers separated for 15 years got a chance to see each other’s face through Google+ Hangouts On Air.
“It’s difficult to describe the feeling of watching separated families see and speak to each other for the first time in years,” says Ida Jeng, Communications Manager for Refugees United. “This is an incredible opportunity for us to share that experience with the public. It sends a powerful message to the 45 million forcibly displaced people who may still be looking for friends and family – that it is possible to find your loved ones, that there are resources available to help. Every person has a right to know where their family is.”
Google Kenya agrees that reaching a wider audience is critical. “Once you see the faces of family members reconnecting after years apart, you’re going to want to know how you can help”, says Farzana Khubchandani, Google Kenya Country Marketing Manager. “The truly transformative power of Google+ Hangouts On Air is that it reminds us that we are really similar, that no matter where we come from, we value the same things – family, community and the safety of the people we love.”
“Every day, all over the world, conflicts tear apart families like this one,” said Melissa Fleming, Head of Communications at UNHCR. “Our staff is on the ground, helping those who flee to find safety, regain hope and restart their lives. We’re excited to discuss the reunifications we facilitated through this Hangout.”
Join Refugees United, Google Kenya, and UNHCR this Tuesday at 10 AM EST for the final #FamilyIs reconnection.
Contact
Refugees United, Rebecca Wainess, East Africa Project Coordinator: rw@refunite.org
About Refugees United
Refugees United is a tech non-profit with the mission of reconnecting thousands of separated families across the globe via an online, mobile-enabled search tool that empowers people to take the search process into their own hands. www.refunite.org.
