Flooding in South Sudan.

Disasters and emergencies

We save the lives of children and work with their communities before and after disaster strikes.

In recent years, Action Against Hunger has responded to every major humanitarian crisis in the world — including Bangladesh, Nigeria, South Sudan, Yemen, Syria, Iraq and the Central African Republic.

This involves responding to a wide range of emergencies, such as those caused by conflict, displacement, the climate crisis or natural disasters.

Our emergency response teams around the world deliver rapid, effective, life-saving assistance — then make sure that short-term interventions become sustainable solutions.

In communities that are at risk of natural disasters, we work to strengthen their resilience to future shocks. We help bolster local economies, improve infrastructure and plan for long-term development.

Our emergency response in numbers

  • 43

    We responded to 43 emergencies around the world in 2019.

  • 55.6%

    We responded to over half of these humanitarian crises within 72 hours.

  • 131.7M

    Over 130 million people in 42 countries are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.

How we respond to emergencies

With emergency teams on call 24 hours a day and a constant stock of essential supplies ready for deployment, our internationally-renowned rapid response service makes sure urgent humanitarian assistance can be delivered anywhere in the world when needed.

After a disaster strikes, our teams immediately evaluate the needs of affected populations. This helps us understand what kind of intervention is needed most — for example nutrition, food security, or water, sanitation and hygiene services.

We then team up with government agencies, local partners and community leaders to bring efficient, effective relief to communities.

CoronavirusAbdullah is a contracted doctor working at an Action Against Hunger health clinic in Abyan province, Yemen

Coronavirus

The impact of Covid-19 means 132 million more people around the world could face hunger.

How we're responding

Here are some recent examples of our emergency response work:

  • Helping war-torn communities in Yemen – the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
  • Responding to the Rohingya refugee emergency in Bangladesh.
  • Stopping the spread of the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
  • Supporting communities affected by Hurricane Eta in Nicaragua.
  • Reducing mortality rates among pregnant women and children under five in communities affected by conflict in northeast Nigeria through nutrition and water, sanitation and hygiene services.
  • Responding to floods in Afghanistan by distributing hygiene kits and other non-food items, as well as rebuilding shelters and restoring safe water sources.
DECBushra wears a mask in Al-Harakat Camp in Idlib, Syria.

DEC

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) brings together the leading UK aid charities to raise money and work together to help people impacted by major disasters. The DEC is made up of 14 members from among the biggest humanitarian and development charities in the UK. Action Against Hunger is the DEC’s newest member, joining in September 2018.

How we work together
Start FundAction Against Hunger emergency response in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.

Start Fund

As members of the Start Network's Start Fund – which is made up of 42 aid agencies – we’re able to respond early and fast to emergencies and ensure decision-making is collective and as localised as possible. The Start Fund provides rapid financing that allows us to respond to the many humanitarian crises around the world that don’t hit the headlines.

Learn more

Current appeals

Yemen Appeal

A girl who has received support from Action Against Hunger in Yemen.

Described as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis in decades, 24 million people in Yemen urgently need our help.

Donate now

DEC Coronavirus Appeal

A family member looks on at funeral pyres of victims of coronavirus in India.

Coronavirus infections are spiralling out of control in India. The country’s health system is unable to cope.

Donate now

Donate today

Halima and her mother Fatuma in Somalia. Halima recovered from life-threatening malnutrition thanks to the support of Action Against Hunger.

Around the world, 2.3 million children under the age of five die every year because of hunger and malnutrition.

Donate now