Amna

The challenge

Across the world, more than 120 million people have been forced to flee their homes because of war and persecution. Displacement does not end with physical safety: it marks the beginning of a long journey through uncertainty, loss, and disconnection. For many, the experience leaves deep psychological scars. Research shows that at least one in three refugees suffers from severe distress, such as PTSD, depression, or anxiety. Children and young people are particularly affected, as years of interrupted schooling and unstable environments significantly impact their development.

Yet mental health care is chronically underfunded, and existing services are often inaccessible, culturally misaligned, or absent altogether. Without a way to process trauma, communities are left in survival mode, unable to rebuild a sense of trust, belonging, and a future.

Turning challenge into opportunity

Amna emerged to meet this gap. What began in a tent on the Greece–North Macedonia border has grown into a model that helps communities recover from the psychological impact of war and displacement. Rather than offering short-term aid, Amna focuses on creating safe, familiar spaces where children, young people, and caregivers can begin to rebuild trust, regain a sense of routin,e and reconnect with one another.

Building on this approach, Amna is now extending its impact to Eastern Europe through its Systems of Care Master Trainer Programme. The programme embeds trauma‑ and identity‑informed care within higher education, equipping educators to support emerging adults in their most formative years. By training a network of master trainers, co-designing transformation plans with universities, and developing contextually adapted tools, Amna is helping to create environments where thousands of young people each year can find safety and belonging in the very institutions that shape their future.

At the heart of this work is the same principle: strengthen the people and systems closest to those affected, so that care becomes a lasting part of the fabric of a community.