World Citizen

Journeys of a Humanitarian

Jane Olson

During journeys to war zones and places of extreme poverty and disease over decades, the author meets survivors whose resilience inspire hope, despite unimaginable suffering. Intimate details and beautiful photos illustrate that all lives are valuable and equally deserving of protection and support.

Jane Olson has worked many decades in volunteer leadership positions promoting international humanitarian and human rights organizations, having chaired the international board of Human Rights Watch, Landmine Survivors Network, and the Women’s Refugee Commission. Extensive travels took her to Central America during the Contra Wars, to Ukraine (1989 and 1990), the former Yugoslavia during the “ethnic cleansing” war against Bosnia, and the Caucasus countries of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Journeys to countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America focused on human rights abuse and refugee conditions, HIV/AIDS, landmines, and other calamities caused by conflict and extreme poverty.

Using lessons learned during her childhood in rural Iowa, she bonded with survivors and recorded their hope-filled stories of resilience in the face of disaster. Olson’s experience as an investigative journalist and photographer bring those inspirational stories to life.