101Mobile-new
HOMEPAGE-03
HOMEPAGE-04
HOMEPAGE-05
HOMEPAGE-06
HOMEPAGE-07
HOMEPAGE-08
HOMEPAGE-09
HOMEPAGE-10
HOMEPAGE-11
HOMEPAGE-12
HOMEPAGE-13
HOMEPAGE-14

Home / About

The people behind the numbers.

As long as we can remember, there have been conflicts across the world. And as long as there have been conflicts, there have been refugees: people forced to flee out of fear, leaving everything behind.

Their homes, their hopes, their families and memories are left behind, often alongside physical and psychological trauma. They may find safety in camps or temporary shelter, but daily living conditions remain harsh. Everyday Refugees Foundation exists to help refugees, local communities and people displaced internally by war, natural disasters, discrimination and poverty.

Everyday Refugees cover image

What we do

Raise public awareness

We document and share stories with the public. Across our website, social media, lectures, exhibitions and presentations, we show daily life, the difficulties people face, and the fragments of hope that remain despite displacement.

The goal is not only to inform, but to build understanding of the global refugee crisis and make it easier for more people to become involved in practical, sustained ways.

Accountability

A registered Public Benefit Organisation.

Everyday Refugees Foundation is designated by the Dutch tax office as a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO/ANBI). Donations are tax-deductible, and because we pay no gift or inheritance tax, your full donation supports the mission.

01

At least 90% of the foundation's efforts are focused on the general good.

02

We only work with people who comply with strict integrity requirements.

03

The directors' remuneration is restricted.

Executive Board

The team guiding our mission

The leadership team guiding our mission and day-to-day operations.

Muhammed Muheisen
Chairman

Muhammed Muheisen

Muhammed Muheisen  A world-renowned photographer, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner, a National Geographic photographer, founder and chairman of the Dutch non-profit organization Everyday Refugees Foundation, Global Ambassador for Jordan Tourism Board, Royal Jordanian Airlines and Canon, he is represented by National Geographic Image Collection. Named in 2013 by TIME Magazine as Best Wire Photographer. Since 2001 he has documented major events around the world, in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the USA and for over a decade he has been documenting the refugee crisis in different parts of the world. You can follow Muhammed Muheisen on his social media platforms
Elke Niedringhaus
Secretary

Elke Niedringhaus

Elke Niedringhaus A journalist based in Bad Oeynhausen, Germany. Elke graduated with two university degrees, one of them in Cultural Journalism.
Rosanna Wijngaards
Treasurer

Rosanna Wijngaards

Rosanna Wijngaards Born in 1982 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Graduated with a degree in administration. Currently, she is the Managing Director of the Dutch non-profit organization Stichting Everyday Refugees and the Co-Founder. Previously, she worked at the World Press Photo Foundation in Amsterdam for over a decade. Among others, Rosanna is a communication specialist and social media strategist who carried out and executed dozens of campaigns and projects that helped refugees, internally displaced people and local communities in different parts of the world through her role with Everyday Refugees Foundation. 

Board of Advisors

Guidance & expertise

Experts and advocates who support our work with guidance and expertise.

Sonia Ben Ammar
Model & Artist

Sonia Ben Ammar

Sonia Ben Ammar is a French 27-year-old model and artist. Starting at a young age she has featured in many variety TV shows in France, starred in French movie Jappeloup and performed in the Frenchbroadway musical Les Amants de la Bastille. Since 2016, she is signed at IMG models’ agency and has worked with the likes of brands such as Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, MiuMiu, Carolina Herrera, Top Shop. Sonia has been working on her debut music album for two years. She is currently studying Music at USC.
Read full bio →
Bas van Voorst
Legal Advisor

Bas van Voorst

Until 2019, Bas van Voorst had his own legal practice and held a number of positions in the social field. After he got his masters degree in corporate law, he joined De Roos Advocaten. This modern Amsterdam-based law firm focusses on growth, tech and social enterprises, varying from start-ups to larger international corporations. Their lawyers specialize in corporate law, intellectual property law and privacy law. With his legal expertise and experience, Bas advises and assists Everyday Refugees Foundation on legal issues, ranging from the fiscal ANBI status to the contracts and corporate structure of the foundation.
Read full bio →
Kathy Gannon
Former special correspondent AP

Kathy Gannon

Kathy Gannon served as special regional correspondent for Pakistan and Afghanistan for The Associated Press. She has covered the region for the AP as a correspondent and bureau chief since 1988, a period that spans the withdrawal of Russian soldiers from Afghanistan, the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the bitter Afghan civil war between Islamic factions and the rise and fall of the Taliban. Gannon was the only Western journalist allowed in Kabul by the Taliban in the weeks preceding the 2001 U.S.-British offensive in Afghanistan. In April 2014 Gannon was seriously wounded while covering preparations for Afghan national elections when an Afghan police officer opened fire on the car in which she was riding. Her colleague and close friend, AP photographer Anja Niedringhaus, was killed in the attack. A native of Timmins, Ontario, Canada, she was the city editor at the Kelowna Courier in British Columbia and worked at several Canadian newspapers before her career took her overseas. She has lived in Israel, Japan, Pakistan and Afghanistan. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including:
  • International Women’s Media Foundation Courage In Journalism Award
  • Overseas Press Club Award for best newspaper or wire service reporting from abroad
  • Edward R. Murrow Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
  • AP Oliver S. Gramling Award in Journalism
In 2005 Gannon authored “I is for Infidel: From Holy War, to Holy Terror, 18 Years Inside Afghanistan,” an examination of the Taliban and post-Taliban period, published by Public Affairs.
Read full bio →
Jasper van der Zee
Municipality of Amsterdam

Jasper van der Zee

Jasper van der Zee worked as a manager at the municipality of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Among other responsibilities at the municipality of Amsterdam, Jasper coordinates housing distribution, allocations and provides vulnerable people with appropriate housing. He also volunteers to help refugees in the Netherlands since the refugee crisis in Europe. Website: https://www.amsterdam.nl/wonen-leefomgeving/wonen/
Read full bio →
Quentin Newton
Software Specialist

Quentin Newton

Quentin Newton graduated with first-class honors in computer science from the University of East London. He began his career working in a VR startup, where he gained valuable experience in developing cutting-edge VR technologies. Now, Quentin founded his own software company, Quencode, which specializes in creating custom websites and mobile applications.
Read full bio →

Our partners

Organisations that stand with us

We work with partners around the world to support refugees and displaced people through shared projects and sustained collaboration.

Support the people behind the stories.

Awareness matters, but so does action. Help us continue documenting, educating and supporting refugees and local communities through direct engagement.

Follow us on Instagram

@everydayrefugees
No Instagram posts available.