What's in my bag? What refugees bring when they run for their lives

Described by the European Commission as the world's worst refugee crisis since World War II, these desperate people only manage to grab a few small items to take with them.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) teamed up with photographer Tyler Jump to ask a mother, a child, a teenager, a pharmacist, an artist, and a family of 31 to share the contents of their bags and show us what they managed to hold on to from their homes. Their possessions tell stories about their past and their hopes for the future.

Shared via a post on Medium, the IRC wrote: "Refugees travel light, for their trek is as dangerous as it is arduous. They are detained, shot at, hungry. Smugglers routinely exploit them, promising safety for a price, only to squeeze them like sardines into tiny boats. Most have no option but to shed whatever meagre belongings they may have salvaged from their journeys. Those allowed to bring extra baggage aboard often toss it overboard, frantically dumping extra weight as the leaky boats take on water."

Read their individual stories on Medium and, as you enjoy your morning cup of coffee in your safe and sound home or workplace, ask yourself the important question – what would you take with you if you were forced to flee your home in search of a better life?