Two women from different worlds, both forced to flee their homes: Gloria from conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Leokadia from the war in Ukraine.
But in the face of war and displacement, women like Gloria and Leokadia refuse to give up.
With ActionAid’s support, Gloria trained as a tailor and now helps other refugee women earn an income in Uganda. In Poland, Leokadia created an academy that helps Ukrainian refugees use their skills to rebuild their futures.
From the Democratic Republic of Congo to Ukraine, Gloria and Leokadia are proving that when women lift each other up, whole communities recover.
You saw their strength in the appeal, now you can stand side by side with them as they rebuild their lives.
ActionAid is working with women-led organisations around the world to provide life-saving support to refugee women and girls.
With just £10 a month you can help provide a woman with the tools and tutoring she needs to rebuild her life, empower the community around her, and find hope after crisis.
What ActionAid does to help refugees and displaced people
ActionAid collaborates with women's rights organisations to provide comprehensive support to refugees, particularly women and girls who face heightened vulnerabilities when displaced. These partnerships focus on immediate humanitarian assistance, long-term empowerment, and systemic advocacy to address gender-based inequalities.
By donating to ActionAid you'll be helping to support refugees and displaced people in the immediate aftermath of a humanitarian crisis, as well as in the long term, so they can rebuild their lives.
In the short term we provide humanitarian aid including food, safe drinking water, shelter and hygiene kits containing clean underwear, soap, menstrual products and other essentials.
We're able set up safe spaces for women in displacement and refugee camps where they can breastfeed in private, seek counselling and access emotional support. We also provide services to monitor and prevent violence against women, and provide direct cash transfers that empower women to buy what they need the most.
In the long term, along with our partners, we help to rebuild communities and strengthen their resilience. For example, we run training sessions for women to learn leadership skills and disaster preparedness, so they're better equipped to lead their communities in times of crises.
Through these multifaceted partnerships, ActionAid and women's rights organisations work together to address the complex needs of refugee women, ensuring they receive not only immediate aid but also the support necessary for long-term recovery and empowerment.
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With support from ActionAid, Gloria was able to retrain as a tailor to support herself and her community.
Frank Byaruhanga/ActionAid
From refugee to role model: Gloria’s journey
Gloria fled her home in the Democratic Republic of Congo and came to Uganda with nothing. No food. No income. No shelter.
My name is Gloria. I am a tailor, I am a refugee. If other women can, then I can do it.
There are more than 117 million forcibly displaced people in the world today, and women and girls are often amongst the most vulnerable.
Determined not to give up and with support from ActionAid, Gloria was able to retrain as a tailor to support herself and her community.
Stand with women like Gloria, across borders, beyond crisis, side by side. With your help we can provide them with resources and opportunities that allow them the choices to advocate for themselves, strengthen their communities and rebuild their lives.
Leokadia: Turning skill into opportunity
When Leokadia fled the war in Ukraine, she arrived in Poland determined to help other refugee women find their footing. Drawing on the skills they already had, she founded a training academy that teaches women to earn an income through confectionery and baking.
“Women from Ukraine are known for being excellent cooks,” Leokadia says. “Confectionery was the solution, a way for women to earn an income. They just needed the right knowledge.”
With ActionAid’s support, Leokadia’s academy provides women with training, equipment, and confidence to start their own small businesses.
We support them from the very first step and continue until they can stand on their own feet."
Around the world, ActionAid partners with women-led organisations like Leokadia’s to provide life-saving support, helping refugee women and girls rebuild their lives with dignity and strength.
Leokadia created a training academy to help other refugee women earn an income.
Agata Kubis/ActionAid
What is the refugee crisis, and how are women affected?
Today, more than 117 million people have been forcibly displaced by conflict, persecution, and humanitarian disasters. Among them, women and girls make up over half of the world’s 35.3 million refugees, yet their needs are too often overlooked when funding decisions are made.
Across refugee camps and crisis zones, one in five women and girls experiences sexual violence. Many face daily threats of trafficking, exploitation, and abuse, dangers made worse by the chronic lack of funding for their protection.
Forced from their homes, they’re also at risk of losing their income, education, and independence, leaving many to depend on local women’s groups and refugee charities just to survive.
That’s why ActionAid partners with women’s rights organisations and local communities to provide life-saving support, rebuild livelihoods, and strengthen resilience against future crises.
But we can’t do it alone. Your support can help protect women and girls when they need it most.
About ActionAid
ActionAid is an international charity that works with women and girls living in poverty.
Our dedicated local staff are changing the world with women and girls. We are ending violence and fighting poverty so that all women, everywhere, can create the future they want.
We operate in rural and urban communities across Asia, Africa and Latin America.
We're committed to ending the cycle of violence in communities around the world, enabling women's economic empowerment, and supporting women's and girls' rights during humanitarian crises.
This project is just one example of ActionAid’s work. Your regular donation may not go towards this project. It will be used where it is needed most to further ActionAid’s general charitable purposes.
Our privacy policy will tell you all you need to know about how we handle, store and process your data.
Page updated 12 November 2025