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"I couldn't believe my eyes. I didn't even know the definition of refugees four years ago. I believe it's a gradual change in public awareness, and some people now know what refugees are," she told CCTV.

Yao says her husband supports her work. He drives her to the airport every time she travels, and sends her flowers when she returns. They want to take their 1-year-old son to visit refugees when he is older.

In May, Yao paid a three-day visit to Beirut. Lebanon's capital city was unsafe and car bombs were going off and gunshots were heard on the streets. Each time she went to the local UNHCR office, she had to undergo strict security checks and her car was swept for bombs.

In June, UNHCR announced that 1.092 million Syrians had fled to Lebanon to seek asylum. Many had to live in dilapidated or unfinished buildings, garages and storehouses, and 15 percent lived in about 1,000 unofficial refugee settlements established by international relief organizations including UNHCR. Until the end of 2013, there were 51.2 million homeless in the world.

Yao says that even if she had known about the danger in Beirut, she would have gone. It scared her, but she felt it was her duty to visit.

"My visit is needed to regain the public's attention including some international organizations. Also, it will be very helpful if the Chinese know about the place," Yao says.

Her first overseas visit to promote the plight of refugees was in June 2010 in Manila, Philippines. She wanted to buy some candy for some children, but the staff at UNHCR told her not to do so. At the time she couldn't understand their objection.

"But they are right. The children have the yummy candy now, but what can they do when they can't have candy after we leave? We only consider our feelings, not the children's future," Yao told CCTV.

Every time she returns to her hotel after meeting with the refugees, she feels guilty, even though she knows the refugee situation is not her fault. She thinks her life is "luxurious" because she can take a shower and dine at restaurants.

"Each refugee's destiny is like a handful of sand, and they don't know where they will be taken by the wind tomorrow, let alone when they will disappear. Even our visits can't stop the wind," Yao says.