Pinned

A Year of Darkness

USAID Assistant to the Administrator Sarah Charles recently returned from Ethiopia, where a conflict that broke out one year ago in the Tigray region continues to expand throughout northern Ethiopia. She shares five things you should know about what is now one of the most dire humanitarian crises in the world.

A woman stands with her children amidst the rubbles of her house that was damaged during the fightings that broke out in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, in the village of Bisober. Photo Credit: Eduardo Soteras/AFP

On November 4, 2020, fighting broke out in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia, between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and Ethiopian National Defense Force. The conflict has displaced millions and left nearly a million people facing famine-like conditions.

A USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) has been deployed since…

Afghanistan Crisis: How USAID and Humanitarian Partners Never Stopped Working to Save Lives

The eyes of the world have been on Afghanistan since late August 2021, when the government of Afghanistan collapsed after an extensive and rapid military advance by the Taliban. Despite logistical and safety challenges on the ground, the U.S. government’s support for the Afghan people remains strong, and USAID’s partners in the country continue their tireless work providing lifesaving assistance.

The conflict in Afghanistan continues to have a devastating impact on women and children. The United Nations estimated that 468 children were killed and and more than 1,200 injured in the first half of 2021. Photo Credit: UNICEF

In mid-October, I joined a U.S. delegation to Doha, Qatar, for meetings with senior Taliban representatives. During these critical discussions, we talked about the importance of the United States’ robust humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people and ensuring our partners can continue to deliver lifesaving aid.

Following the Call to Serve Again

When U.S. Army General Jonathan Wainwright discharged his troops following the end of World War II, he encouraged them to “start being a leader as soon as you put on your civilian clothes.” Seeking a sense of purpose and mission is a common desire for military veterans when they leave the service. It’s not a surprise that many have found their way to USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.

Left to Right: Cate Klepacki, Felicia Long, Fritz Little, Mara Langevin and David Bopp. All have served in the U.S. military and now work at USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.

On the surface level, it’s easy to view the military and humanitarian domains as polar opposites. The stereotypical images of camo-clad warriors and peaceful altruists paint a picture of two groups destined to clash.

“I will be the first to admit that as a soldier, I viewed humanitarians as ‘bleeding…

3 Ways USAID is Responding to the Haiti Earthquake

Conflict, Climate Crisis & COVID-19

Honoring humanitarians who deliver aid despite increasing needs and threats

As natural disasters increase in intensity, wars continue to ravage, and COVID-19 spreads, it has never been more dangerous to be a front-line humanitarian. It has also never been more important. …

Three Ways the Humanitarian Community is Going Green While Saving Lives

Used once and then discarded, 40% of the world’s plastic waste comes from packaging. In light of this fact, many in the humanitarian community are taking a hard look at their own use of packaging and the waste it creates. On World Environment Day, learn how USAID and other humanitarian organizations are working together to create sustainable change.

The scale of waste produced by humanitarian operations across the world requires concerted, collaborative action. Photo credit: UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit

When a disaster or crisis strikes anywhere around the world, tons of food and other critical relief supplies needed to provide shelter and protection are transported to far-flung locations. These items are carefully packaged so they reach the people who need them rapidly and in good condition. …

Fighting Child Malnutrition During and After Humanitarian Emergencies

The physical and mental damage caused by malnutrition can be irreversible, especially in children. The United States is the largest donor of food assistance around the world. Today, on World Hunger Day, see how USAID and our partners are working to fight hunger every day and save lives.

A box of USAID-funded Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) in the UNICEF-supported health center in Tawakal IDP camp, Bosaso, Somalia provided lifesaving treatment to more than 220,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Photo credit: USAID

Globally, almost 33 million children have been forcibly displaced by conflict or natural disaster, according to UNICEF. With limited access to adequate, safe, and nutritious food, displaced children are especially vulnerable to malnutrition. …

5 Ways USAID is Responding to Volcano Eruptions in Saint Vincent

It surprised most people when Saint Vincent island’s La Soufrière volcano erupted April 9, shooting ash clouds miles into the air. …

Storm Surge 101: How USAID Helps Caribbean Countries Prepare for this Hurricane Threat

When hurricanes barrel close to communities, many people’s first instincts are to protect themselves from the high winds that threaten to flatten homes and snap trees in half. But, in fact, storm surges — or rising coastal waters created by the storm — pose a far more dangerous and deadly threat.

After a bridge was washed away by Hurricane Matthew’s heavy rains and winds in October 2016, these people in Haiti crossed a flooded river with the help of a rope. Photo credit: Logan Abassi UN / MINUSTAH

What is Storm Surge?

It wasn’t so long ago — September 2019 — when Hurricane Dorian made landfall in The Bahamas as a Category 5 storm, making it the strongest hurricane in modern history to hit the island nation and only the fifth Atlantic hurricane on record to achieve such an intensity. …

Honoring humanitarians who deliver aid despite increasing needs and threats

The physical and mental damage caused by malnutrition can be irreversible, especially in children. The United States is the largest donor of food assistance around the world. Today, on World Hunger Day, see how USAID and our partners are working to fight hunger every day and save lives.

What is Storm Surge?

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