In Malakal, South Sudan, 45,000 displaced people rely on a consistent clean water supply drawn from the Nile, even as funding cuts erode health care, schooling, and sanitation. Residents fear leaving the site due to violence, while limited clinics and deteriorating latrines heighten risks. With key services nearing shutdown as funding runs out, communities urgently question whether broader humanitarian aid will arrive to meet their essential needs.
Humanitarian Aid
Reduced WFP food assistance in Uganda has plunged refugees like Namahirwe and her nine children into hunger and hardship, threatening both their survival and long-term self-reliance.
In the northern province of Cagayan, communities depend on coastal waters and fertile land for their livelihoods, from fishing to farming. Yet intensifying typhoons increasingly threaten lives, assets, and food security. In 2024, six cyclones caused over USD 13.7 million in damage. When Super Typhoon Fung-Wong (Uwan) approached in 2025, communities were better prepared. With support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, fishers secured boats and farmers protected inputs and livestock. In Buguey, coordinated action safeguarded assets and enabled a quick recovery. These efforts show how anticipatory action and local coordination reduce disaster impacts, while influencing national policy in the Philippines to strengthen resilience and collective preparedness.
In Gaza, three siblings born without legs and with limited hand function are gaining newfound independence thanks to customized assistive devices. Ten‑year‑old Anas, once forced to crawl or rely on his mother, now moves, writes, and studies more easily after the international non‑governmental organization EducAid upgraded his wheelchair and provided hand‑walking supports. Seventeen‑year‑old Sujood received a fitted wheelchair and writing aids that allow her to study safely and with dignity. Their brother Mohammad, 15, now uses a customized chair, protective table, hand grips, and a mobility skateboard that help him navigate school and home life with greater ease.
What if giving something wasn’t about fixing everything? A newborn safe. A family united. A community rebuilt. You can’t end every crisis. But you can end someone’s. This is why we keep showing up. One day at a time. One step at a time. One life at a time.
The Global Humanitarian Overview Report presents an analysis of global crises and needs and the humanitarian plans to address them. In 2026, humanitarian partners are appealing for almost US$33 billion to assist 135 million people in crisis, with the immediate priority to mobilize $23 billion to save 87 million lives. The report presents a collective picture of humanitarians' achievements and highlights the widening gap between growing humanitarian needs and limited resources, calling for stronger global solidarity and sustained support to protect civilians and tackle the root causes of crises.
Four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and nearly 12 years since the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol, the conflict has claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions, and left a generation of children traumatized.
As humanitarian crises worsen across the globe, countless families are struggling without enough food, shelter, or basic necessities. This Holy Month, share your blessings, your compassion has the power to save lives.
After Hurricane Melissa disrupted education for over half a million students in eastern Cuba, the “Rebuilding Hope” initiative was launched to restore learning, provide psychosocial support, and strengthen resilience in affected schools.
A UNFPA staff member talks to one of the victims of the 28 March earthquake in Myanmar. As in other crisis ridden countries, Myanmar families caught up in the disaster can't be waiting for the world to catch up — they need help now. Acting UN Humanitarian Coordinator Gwyn Lewis is urging donors to fully fund the response and invest in local mechanisms, so support can reach people faster and more directly. It’s a reminder that behind every appeal is a simple truth: for millions, aid isn’t abstract — it’s survival.
This UNOCHA-feature showcases several stories of aid disrupted, but not defeated.
A three-month ceasefire has provided temporary relief for the 2 million people in Gaza, but residents still face severe hardships as winter and heavy rains exacerbate their suffering. The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva visited the area, where he saw the extensive destruction and met displaced residents and UN personnel working under challenging conditions. He emphasized the urgent need for increased humanitarian access and fuel for critical operations, along with the safe clearance of an estimated 60 million tonnes of rubble. Da Silva called for a long-overdue political solution to ensure safety and dignity for both Palestinians and Israelis.
Almost two years after floods devastated Gatumba village in Burundi, 39-year-old Jeanine Ndabazaniye is gradually rebuilding her life with the help of the UN Global Emergency Fund (CERF). The floods, driven by the El Niño climate phenomenon, affected nearly 300,000 people. Many were displaced and forced to sleep outdoors. Thanks to support from the government and organizations, former displaced families were relocated to Gateri, where 250 shelters were built. The UN Refugee Agency, funded by CERF, provided $2.5 million for immediate relief and $5 million for resettlement. Over 6,000 people now call Gateri home.
Gaza is enduring an inhuman tragedy, with entire neighbourhoods destroyed, families shattered, and children growing up in fear—nothing can justify such suffering.
In this devastation, Richard Gere joins UNRWA in affirming our shared humanity and calling for support to protect lives, dignity, and the rights of millions who depend on education, healthcare, and vital aid.
Across the globe, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) joined forces with the UN family and partners to tackle urgent challenges and uplift vulnerable communities in 2025. From rebuilding hope in Afghanistan to strengthening resilience in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gaza, and Haiti, these stories showcase how collaboration can transform lives—even in the most difficult circumstances.
2025 hit millions of people hard – in Haiti, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan, Ukraine and elsewhere. Escalating conflict and brutal funding cuts pushed already struggling communities even deeper into crisis. Attacks on civilians, including humanitarians, continued. And the climate crisis delivered its deadliest year yet, unleashing record-breaking storms, floods and wildfires that overwhelmed already fragile communities. There were staggering needs, but also faint glimmers of hope. Here are nine ways the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stood by people in crisis in 2025. Here, OCHA staff talk with patients in South Kivu, who receive free healthcare at Kalehe General Referral Hospital, with the support of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Humanitarian Fund.