Aryad, 16, had fled conflict in Africa and reached the Polish border alone. He had just completed a dangerous journey and was traumatised. Unfamiliar with the asylum procedure, he was at risk of being returned to danger. His future looked uncertain.
In 2008, Microsoft and Angelina Jolie, who is now listed as the organisation’s co-founder and patron, established KIND, an NGO devoted to protecting unaccompanied and separated children. Children who arrived in the United States without a parent often faced immigration court proceedings alone, in a language they barely spoke, with no one to explain what was happening to them. KIND connects children with pro bono attorneys from law firms, corporations, law schools and bar associations. During its first year, KIND opened offices in seven US cities, including Baltimore, Maryland; Boston, Massachusetts; Houston, Texas; Los Angeles, California; New York, New York; and Washington, D.C.
Since its founding in 2008, KIND has provided legal representation to more than 17,000 children in the US and educated over 78,000 children about their legal rights in the US and Mexico. It has provided psychological support to more than 30,000 children and family members across the two countries. Because i had a KIND representative by my side to help me with my case, “When we went to court, I never felt alone.
We work to ensure that migration systems recognize these children first and foremost as children—supporting their rights through high-quality legal representation and services, child by child,” the organisation says. Legal representation is only part of its work. KIND also runs psychosocial support programmes that connect children with support services. Medical care, mental health services, schooling and crisis support are also part of the organisation’s work. Many of the children it serves have lived through violence, and a lawyer alone cannot undo that. “Through a holistic approach, we combine legal services, advocacy, and partnerships across the private sector, philanthropy, government, and civil society to protect unaccompanied and separated children. For children who arrive alone or have been separated from their parents, a lawyer can make the difference between being sent away and being heard. KIND’s website carries a testimonial from a former client, Erica, who describes her experience. Erica’s words pretty much sum up what the organisation’s work is meant to achieve. Immigration court can be intimidating for adults, and it is far harder for a child who does not speak the language and has no family in the room.