What We Do
We work in communities where few other evidence-based autism support resources exist.
Demand for our services has increased exponentially in recent years. With more than 89.3 people forcibly displaced worldwide (UNHCR) and more than 2 billion people living in conflict areas, 426 million of whom are children, the need for our services has never been greater.
To create a sustainable, positive impact on the lives of the children and families we serve, we recognize the importance of not only responding to needs but also setting up systems to support and include children on the autism spectrum for years to come. Though institutions in the communities we serve are often fractured, we carefully identify and collaborate with partners committed to the inclusion and well-being of all children.
A child’s rights to health, education, and community participation should never be impacted by that child’s birthplace or location. That’s why we’re focused on building inclusive communities that value children on the autism spectrum, and helping thousands of children access healthcare, education and community through both traditional and non-traditional means.
There's no better way to understand our impact than through the stories of families like Rahaf's.
“I fled my country and was physically safe now, but before I found A Global Voice for Autism, I didn’t feel safe here. People yelled at me for my daughter’s behavior in public. They didn’t understand autism. They looked down on me for being a refugee. A Global Voice for Autism’s program is the first time since I arrived here that people have treated me like a human. They value me. Most importantly, they value my daughter.
There's more. The A Global Voice for Autism team showed me how to help my daughter speak. She said three words before this program and would usually pull me to what she wanted, but now she uses her new words to tell me what she wants. I joined a support group for parents and Rahaf's younger brother joined one for siblings. We both learned to support Rahaf, but we also made friends and learned strategies for supporting ourselves.
The best part was that teachers participated in the program too. They learned to work with Rahaf and other children with autism, and after the program, Rahaf got to join one of their classrooms. Because she was an autistic refugee, I'd given up on the idea that my daughter would ever go to school, but the dedication of the A Global Voice for Autism team and the other program participants made it possible."
-Amina, mother of Rahaf, age 7, Syrian refugee
Our work to ensure that families like Rahaf's feel safe, valued, and included never stops.
It is because of our commitment to families like Rahaf’s that we have been recognized globally as leaders in refugee support and disability inclusion. Our data-backed results and child-centered approach have been recognized by the United Nations, the Global Forum for Migration and Development, the UN Major Group on Children and Youth, One Young World, and more.
Interested in making a positive impact? Giving to A Global Voice for Autism is one of the most impactful actions you can take for a family like Rahaf’s.
