Stories

As Patrick prepares to leave the country and the continent again, we asked him, for World Humanitarian Day, to look back on his time in Burkina Faso.

The effects of climate change on the agricultural sector make it harder and harder to make ends meet. It is increasingly difficult for the family to afford even basic needs such as clean water, warm clothes, heating, or access to healthcare.

Our colleague Norik Soubrier visited the site recently, during the distribution of essential supplies to 7,900 IDP families.

Assisting the most vulnerable population in the eastern DRC

Halima is 2 years old. Sitting on the knee of her grandmother, Sadia, she is wide-eyed, full-faced and curious. It is hard to believe that only 4 months ago, she was close to death.

In any emergency, rescue workers and firefighters are the first to arrive, ready to help, protect and save lives, despite any challenges. They are heroes in every country. When their nation is at war, their daily work takes a whole new level.

In rural areas of Syria, with the support of the European Union, the NGO WeWorld-GVC is working to support 118,310 individuals through education and improved access to safe and sufficient water.

Egnetta is a woman in her sixties – a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother - heading a household of 20 in southwestern Zimbabwe. Looking after her big family leaves little time for seeking paid employment.

“In my extended family, I am considered worthless because I can't provide any help or solutions to their problems. Faced with this handicap, some members of the community are sympathetic towards me; others, on the other hand, laugh at me, mock me.”

In a canoe that looks very much like a hollowed-out tree trunk, a gangly man is kneeling in the bow and paddling. He moves smoothly along the shore, handling his long net.

In Iraq, families returning or relocating safely from prolonged displacement need support to acquire the mandatory legal documentation, which are fundamental to access services. Between May 2023 and April 2024 IOM provided crucial protection and legal services to over 4,200 displaced individuals.

Situated between the Maghreb and the Sahel, Mauritania faces significant challenges due to climate change, with more than 200,000 hectares of pastureland lost annually to natural disasters.

In East Africa, 3 years of a catastrophic drought and now severe flooding have contributed to the highest rates of severe and acute malnutrition on record, with children under 5 being the most affected.

Djibouti, a small East African country on the Red Sea, is dealing with a host of crises, including recurrent droughts, locust swarms, flooding, and epidemics.

On the upper floors of an apartment block towering over Giza’s humble village Al Barajil, Ismat, a 64-year-old Sudanese refugee, gazes out from his apartment’s window. His family lives here, 5 members crowded into a very small apartment meant to host fewer people.

For a nation already grappling with significant internal challenges and a difficult economic situation, this influx of refugees is a daunting test. Yet, it has not deterred Moldovans in their desire to help Ukrainians. The small country has shown an incredibly big heart, making room for everyone.

When Mahamat reached the unfinished bridge between Sudan and Chad, he cried out in disbelief "What, was I not in Chad yet?!". Anxious and exhausted, refugees on the lookout for relatives, asked him why he had been walking leisurely in an area where snipers target tall black men like himself.

For decades, the 2,400-kilometre border with Thailand has served as a crossing point for those seeking a better life. Among them are waves of Rohingya refugees who have been fleeing armed attacks and severe human rights violations since the 1970s.

Amid the bustling streets and serene landscapes of Jordan, a new generation of Syrian children is finding their way, far from the homes their families once knew. These children, born in the shadow of conflict, carry dreams and memories that bind them to a homeland they've never seen.