Humanity & Inclusion’s emergency response teams take action on the ground to assist the people with disabilities, people displaced or injured by confict or natural disasters and other individuals experiencing particularly vulnerable circumstances.
© Till Mayer/HI
A humanitarian disaster can take many forms: earthquakes, drought, floods, tsunami or conflict. They often strike without warning and almost always disproportionately affect people with disabilities.
For people affected, these events are traumatic. The months following an emergency are often as dangerous as the disaster itself as communities face a long journey to recover and rebuild.
► See our latest emergency responses
Wherever natural disasters or disease epidemics break out, people experiencing pre-existing hardships face the greatest risks, and in conflict, civilians often bear the brunt of casualities. HI provides multi-disciplinary humanitarian response to refugees, displaced people and other affected populations. Our teams support injured people, survivors of trauma and people with disabilities.
In 2006, HI merged with Atlas Logistique, which provided the organization with unique expertise in the logistics for emergency relief operations. Our teams have been involved in the humanitarian responses to all the major crises that have rocked the world in recent decades: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Haiti, Iraq, Madagascar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Syria, Ukraine, Yemen.
The uniqueness of HI's approach is its capacity to rapidly supply a variety of responses, ranging from meeting the most essential needs en masse, to providing an adapted response to very specific needs. From the outset, HI plans for how its responses can be implemented in both emergency and long-term contexts, ensuring continuity of progress.
HI is committed to providing an adapted response to natural disasters, epidemics, and conflict situations throughout the world, often within the 72 hours following the outbreak of the crisis.
Our quick deployment of emergency response specialists, solid logistics, direct spending control, and rapid decision-making processes mean we can deploy a rapid and effective response.
We have our own team of specialists dedicated to the initial emergency response. All or part of this team can immediately be dispatched to conduct an initial assessment in order to identify the needs and deploy our expertise appropriately and efficiently.
For more information, download our Emergency Response information pack (pdf, 965Kb)
On September 8, 2023, a catastrophic earthquake struck Morocco, killing and injuring thousands of people. HI teams are providing emergency assistance to people with disabilities and new injuries.
On February 6, 2023, two catastrophic earthquakes struck Turkey and northwest Syria, killing and injuring tens of thousands of people. HI teams are providing emergency assistance to people with disabilities and new injuries.
Middle East Earthquakes appeal
Since 14th June 2022, unprecedented rainfall and flooding in Pakistan has affected 116 of 160 districts, resulting in nearly 1,000 deaths and over 1,300 people injured. HI teams in Pakistan are preparing an immediate intervention in the regions of Nowshera and Charsadda.
Since late February, intense heavy bombing has been devastating towns and cities in Ukraine, resulting in at least 11,862 civilian casualties - 5,110 killed and 6,752 injured. Tragically, at least 346 children have been killed and 547 injured. The actual figures are likely to be much higher and, as the violence continues, the numbers of innocent people killed and injured continues to rise.
Afghanistan is on the brink of becoming the worst humanitarian crisis on Earth. 95% of people don't have enough food, and 23 million people are heading towards starvation. Our team is providing desperately-needed emergency care, rehabilitation and psychological support, as well as educating vulnerable people about the risks from explosive weapons.
The conflict in Yemen and the blockade imposed in November 2017 by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition are having a devastating impact on the population. The humanitarian needs are immense. Humanity & Inclusion has been providing rehabilitation care, psychological support and mobility aids since 2015. We work in eight hospitals and physical rehabilitation centers in Sanaa.
Humanity & Inclusion is supplying aid and rehabilitation care to injured people affected by the Syria crisis, including Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan who are surviving in extremely difficult conditions.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is alarming. Our teams have been on the ground providing emergency rehabilitation care and psychological support to injured people.
Following a devastating cyclone season, our team in Madagascar provided vital emergency aid to vulnerable families, including hygiene and cooking kits.
On August 14, 2021, Haiti was hit by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake. As the death toll continues to rise, many of the survivors are seriously injured and in need of urgent support. Hospitals are already overwhelmed by demand. From our early assessments, we are anticipating high numbers of people with severe injuries in need of emergency care, rehabilitation and psychological support.
As Covid-19 continues to spread around the world, HI teams are working to protect those most at risk: older people and with disabilities, people with chronic diseases, and families displaced from their homes by war. We are facing an unprecedented challenge - an emergency affecting not just one, but all of the 55 countries we work in.
Since August 2017, more than 905,000 Rohingya people have fled Myanmar and taken refuge in Bangladesh. They are in desperate need of basic aid, psychosocial support, and rehabilitation care. HI has more than 200 staff on the ground, working to support the most vulnerable, including people with disabilities.
Since June 2018, more than 9,000 Rohingya have been affected by floods and landslides in Bangladesh. HI teams continue to assist affected populations in a challenging environment.
Since the beginning of 2014, 2.8 million people have fled fighting in the north and west of Iraq. More than 1 million traveled to Kurdistan. They join more than 248,000 Syrians seeking refuge there. In 2016, large numbers of Iraqi civilians have been forced to flee Mosul as a result of the conflict there. HI teams are working to ensure that vulnerable people can access care, medication, and the mobility aids they need, like wheelchairs or crutches.
On 15th March 2019, deadly cyclone Idai tore through Mozambique. More than 1,000 people were killed and thousands of injured people were left in urgent need of support. The huge storm destroyed vital infrastructure and widespread flooding displaced more than 100,000 people from their homes.
Humanity & Inclusion's teams on the ground mobilized to respond to the disaster. Our aim was to ensure that people with disabilities, older and vulnerable people have access to essential support that meets their specific need
Super typhoon Mangkhut claimed dozens of lives and affected more than 4 million people in the Philippines. HI teams are on the ground.
The unspeakable brutality of armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has left countless civilians with severe disabling injuries. HI works in North Kivu province, providing support to vulnerable people caught in the region’s conflicts and to victims of explosive remnants of war and armed violence.
South Sudan has been undergoing a political crisis since December 2013 which has resulted in fighting and massive population movements. The number of internally displaced people has reached 1.5 million and some 730,000 South Sudanese have fled to other countries. Humanity & Inclusion is working to ensure people with disabilities ca access aid, rehabilitation and psychosocial support services. We also support other humanitarian organizations to improve the inclusion of people with disabilities in their activities.
In April 2015 a massive earthquake struck Nepal near the capital Kathmandu. Already present in Nepal, our teams went to work immediately, providing rehabilitation and bringing wheelchairs, food, and other essentials to the victims.
Read more
Explosive weapons including landmines and cluster munitions continue to kill and injure civilians in countries all around the world.
Humanity & Inclusion knows from experience that an artificial limb or a wheelchair alone doesn’t change the life of a person living with a disability. Our approach to rehabilitation is based on the recognition of individual needs, taking into account a person’s individual situation, their environment and the local services available.
Access to health care is an essential step toward social inclusion. Whether through the prevention of disabling diseases, creating local health services or providing psychological support, all our actions serve one purpose: To ensure that every person has the chance to stay healthy.
Get the latest news about Humanity & Inclusion's work delivered straight to your inbox.
ABOUT US
Humanity & Inclusion U.S.
8757 Georgia Avenue
Suite 420
Silver Spring, MD 20910
MORE INFORMATION
SEARCH
Humanity & Inclusion is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization (EIN/tax ID number: 55-0914744). Contributions are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law. CFC #51472
None of the funds donated through this website will benefit activities in the following countries: Cuba, Iran, North Korea, the Crimea Region, or Syria. Humanity & Inclusion does not have programs in all of these countries.
