Refugees International Gets A Helping Hand

Post and photos by Niki Clark www.see2photography.com www.nikimclark.com

As I entered the Ann Hand boutique on MacArthur Boulevard, two thoughts entered my head. “Sparkles. Lots of sparkles.” And the second, “This lady has met everyone.”  And both are true.  Ann Hand, the generous host of Tuesday’s Refugees International’s Holiday Shopping event, is a renowned local jeweler whose beautiful (and sparkling) pieces have been worn by DC VIPS from Madeleine Albright to Hillary Clinton.
Hand has long been a supporter of RI. She and her Lloyd Hand husband both sit on the Honorary Committee of RI’s annual gala event. At the Holiday Shopping event, she donated 20% of all sales to RI, including online sales.  As I browsed (and eventually snagged) several bejeweled hair clips, Melanie Teff (pictured above with RI’s Elaine Martyn), an Advocate with RI, approached me. We struck up a conversation and I quickly became as enthralled with her story, and of her work at RI, as I was with the purple feathered hair piece I clutched in my hand.
Teff is a lawyer from the UK who focused for eight years on children’s rights, child abuse, and family law.  Since joining RI, Teff has conducted missions to Liberia, the Dominican Republic, northern Iraq and Syria, as well as Sudan.  As she tells me, to my great surprise, that 3.2 million people are displaced in Columbia, the second highest figure in the world after Sudan, I think her jovial smile must hide some of the travesties she has encountered in her missions.  As we make plans to meet later and chat more about the important work that Refugees does for the 42 million refugees that currently exist around the world, I pick up another jeweled creation. I may not be on the ground like the incredible staff at RI, but today, my credit card is making a difference too.  And that feels pretty good.

Learn more about Refugees International and be a part of the Washington Circle or the Young Humanitarian Circle.

Refugees International Holiday Shopping Event