Situation: To be violently torn from your home, thrown into an unknown environment with no rights, almost nothing to your name, is unimaginable. Yet, in Malaysia alone, the number of refugees registered to the UNHCR is currently 150,430, of which approximately 58,000 are Rohingya, 36,000 under the age of 18.

The Malaysian Government refuses to recognise the status of refugees – from a legal perspective, they do not exist. Years of media reports have desensitised people to the crisis, yet public support is crucial to the lobbying efforts of the UNHCR.

Brief: To re-engage people with the complex human story of refugees, particularly the Rohingya, creating genuine empathy to galvanise understanding and action.

Objective 1: Create empathy and understanding of the refugee situation in Malaysia to aid lobbying support for UNHCR

Objective 2: Create an effective donation/volunteer tool that can help sustain UNHCR

The storyline of Kathijah was built from a series of interviews and testimonies,then translated into the language of a smartphone interface:

MESSAGES - Over 800 separate messages were crafted into complex intertwining dialogue trees, creating different outcomes dependant on the users’ response.

IMAGES - Via UNHCR two Rohingya refugees were cast as the main characters – Kathijah and Ishak.

VIDEO – Bespoke films were shot, inspired by the true events.

It took almost 5 months to conceptualise, plan, execute and launch the project. 'Finding Home' was launched on 25 April at UNHCR HQ, Kuala Lumpur with local and international press present. UNHCR recognised the app as an educational tool, appealing especially to teens. As a result ‘Finding Home’ is now a part of their school visits throughout Malaysia. In late May, UNHCR published the app via their global platform – reaching all 128 countries where they are present.