In seven refugee villages in Pakistan, dozens of young people meet every week for two to three hours to practice their communication skills, set goals and plan meaningful community projects—from restoring a sports ground to distributing school bags to children. They are participants in International Medical Corps’ Youth Empowerment Programme. “The main objective of the …
Imagine a child so weak from malnutrition that she forgets to smile. She sits on her bed, staring into space, unable to walk or play. This was 4-year-old Fatima, from a remote village in Hays district in Yemen. She was suffering from acute malnutrition bordering on the severe category. Her mother suffered along, watching helplessly …
Families in communities across South Sudan are facing the threat of malnutrition, with an estimated 7.7 million people—57% of the population—at risk for acute food insecurity, according to UNICEF. Ongoing conflict, extreme weather, rising food prices and lack of access to healthcare create a challenging environment in which to raise a family. In the face …
Part of being a humanitarian organisation means putting people at the centre of our work. To ensure that we are effectively helping the people we serve, International Medical Corps has community-based feedback and response mechanisms (CBFRM) in place in every country where we operate. CBFRM offer communities safe, accessible and preferred communication channels where they …
In rural Zimbabwe, women and girls are the primary water collectors. Before our team made improvements to water access and infrastructure in several villages there, this responsibility was so time-consuming that school-age girls missed 10 to 15 school days per year. Suan Kupuka, who now chairs her local water committee, describes life in her Bikita …
Starting in July 2024, the Far North region of Cameroon began experiencing excessive rainfall that led to swelling rivers and flooding—all of which worsened ongoing security issues in the area. The floods—which have impacted more than 400,000 people—have led to food insecurity and displacement, in addition to making healthcare much harder for communities to access. …
In Paktika province, located in southeastern Afghanistan on the border with Pakistan, thousands of families struggle daily for one of life’s necessities: clean water. In the rural districts of Urgon and Yousuf Khail, residents relied on distant sources—which are often contaminated with bacteria, sewage and other pollutants, leaving people vulnerable to waterborne diseases. Without proper …
On December 4, 2024, a 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck the Awash Fentale woreda (district) in Ethiopia, a semi-desert plain to the east of the country’s capital, Addis Ababa. The quake, which devastated communities across seven districts and forced thousands of people to evacuate the area in search of safe shelter, was the most significant recent natural …
“I’ve been having a hard time containing my anger and irritation lately,” says 18-year-old Olena. In addition to dealing with the typical challenges of teenagerhood—school anxieties, sibling conflicts and worries about her future—she’s also dealing with the stresses of daily life during a war. Olena lives in Odesa, Ukraine’s third-largest city. Over the past three …