Right now, millions of civilians and aid workers around the world are caught up in conflict.
Every day they risk everything, just trying to live a normal life or help people in need. To mark World Humanitarian Day, held every year on 19 August by the United Nations, we’re paying tribute to our partners and the incredible individuals who work closely with us to deliver aid in some of the most dangerous places in the world.
WHO ARE OUR PARTNERS?
Our partners help us provide aid in some of the most remote and dangerous conflict zones around the world.
In Syria, where the brutal conflict has been raging for seven years, we’re working with Bahar Organization, Hand in Hand for Syria and ReliefAid.
Across the border in Iraq, we partner with ACTED to deliver aid to families who have been forced to run for their lives and abandon their homes.
We’re also working with IEDA Relief, Plan International, ACTED and ICAHD International in the Lake Chad Basin, where families are fleeing Boko Haram attacks and the counterinsurgency efforts.
But what motivates these extraordinary individuals to risk their lives to deliver aid to strangers in some of the most conflicted areas in the world?
The humanitarian world in my opinion is a motivation and commitment to help the vulnerable, respect the situation in which people live, and be ready to respond and sacrifice [ourselves].
– Allara Socrate, ICAHD International Field Supervisor
Allara works for our partner, ICAHD, in Chad.
Providing humanitarian aid is one of Allara’s biggest priorities in life. His hope for the future is to continue providing help to people who have lost their homes and have nowhere to go.
Right now there are thousands of vulnerable children, women and families in Chad and beyond. The numbers of families who are not safe keep going up, as deadly attacks by Boko Haram continue.
For Allara, the urgency of providing humanitarian aid became even more transparent recently when bloody attacks by Boko Haram occurred not far from the ICAHD distribution site.
These attacks killed 18 people and left several other civilians injured and running to protect their children. Ten people were also kidnapped.
Witnessing this attack has deeply affected Allara.
The word ‘humanitarian’ for me means any person or action on behalf of humanity in order to reduce its suffering.
– Mohamadou Baba, IEDA Relief
Mohamadou works for our partner IEDA Relief at Minawao camp in Cameroon.
For him, the cultural exchange with families within the camp is very important.
He believes that the greatest priority for all humanitarian aid workers should be to improve living conditions for families.
Listening carefully and paying attention to their problems and needs makes a great difference in helping these people in need.
Mohamadou’s ability to speak the local language and being familiar with the cultural habits of the area is an added benefit.
Mohamadou hopes to go further in his humanitarian work and get international experience in the humanitarian world.