Changing stereotypes with Everyday Refugees
In 2015, the refugee crisis reached Europe and Muhammed Muheisen, the Chairman and Founder of Everyday Refugees Foundation, was there to witness it. Standing in Hungary, watching thousands of refugees trudging along a railway track, he decided it was no longer enough for him to document their experiences. “I wanted to do something about it,” he says.
He created an Instagram account called Everyday Refugees and started sharing what he saw. “There is no better way to tell a story than with pictures. You witness something and put it out there for people to react to, to do something about,” he says. “Pictures can change stereotypes and spread awareness. With the existence of social media, you have a very powerful tool that, in seconds, can reach millions of people. People from around the world started to contact me and ask: ‘What can we do to help?'”
A year and a half later, Muhammed registered Everyday Refugees as a foundation in Amsterdam and it continues to receive donations. “So far, we have helped thousands of people around the world – through photography,” he says. “My biggest achievement in life is creating a foundation that makes a difference.”