Dad told us to pack a bag and flee our home. Years later, I understand why

On the night I was 11, my father told us to pack a small bag and leave our home in Saigon, an act that anchors the family's refugee journey. We joined seven siblings and two parents aboard a crowded fishing boat with about 300 people, slipping into open water with little guarantee of safety. The passage lasted three days before we reached Malaysia, where we stayed briefly on a beach and then entered a refugee camp, after which a year of displacement moved us onward to the Philippines. As a child, I received vaccines and learned the ABCs from volunteers, moments that showed the world had not forgotten us. Today, as UNICEF USA's CFO, I reflect on my parents' decisions and the hope that drove them to risk everything for a future. World Refugee Day and Father's Day in June remind us that behind every statistic—nearly 50 million displaced children worldwide—are families making impossible choices. My family's story connects to millions today and demonstrates how aid networks support children through vaccination and education while resettlement remains a long journey.