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Here’s a look at how we responded to emergencies around the world this year.
As the senior director of emergency response at Mercy Corps, it is always difficult to predict where the year will take us. From the ongoing conflict in Ukraine to the devastating earthquakes in Syria and around the globe, our teams rushed to deliver critical support to meet urgent needs in 2023. Our generous donor community plays an important role in our emergency responses, helping us to quickly take action when crises arise and plant the seeds of lasting change in places all over the world. With you by our side, we’ve reached nearly 30 million people in more than 40 countries. As 2023 comes to a close, I wanted to share a few examples of the impact that we have made together:
Maryna, her husband, her two children, and her mother have been living in a shelter after fleeing from the Donetsk region more than a year ago. Mercy Corps provides meal kits that provide a month’s worth of food to families staying in the shelter.
Number of people reached: 1.2 million people since the beginning of the war Our response: Mercy Corps has provided essential supplies like food, hygiene and medical kits, and clothing; delivered cash assistance to help families who have been displaced to help them pay for rent, repairing housing, and other personal needs; and provided temporary housing and mental health support. What’s ahead: As winter begins in Ukraine and the ongoing war cuts off civilian access to essential needs, we’re continuing to deliver essential supplies to families in need of shelter, heat, food, and clean water.
Zamzam received health education and training as part of a Mercy Corps mothers-to-mothers group. She feels more confident and independent with a community around her that will support her after she’s given birth.
Number of people reached: 6.1 million people across Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia in 2023. Our response: Mercy Corps is providing lifesaving aid, including food, water, and cash assistance, to families most acutely affected by the hunger crisis. We are also working with communities to rebuild water infrastructure, provide veterinary services for livestock, and deliver health and livelihood support to impacted families like Zamzam’s in rural Ethiopia. What’s ahead: Severe drought gave way to torrential rains and flooding across the Horn of Africa last month. The flooding has displaced more families, exacerbated the hunger crisis, and worsened access to clean water. Our teams are continuing to provide urgent aid while working with communities to provide livelihood support and help build financial independence.
A Mercy Corps team member speaks with Rahaf (name changed for safety) at a camp for displaced people in Syria where Mercy Corps is providing access to clean water.
Number of people reached: 700,000+ people in 2023. Our response: Immediately following the earthquakes that struck the region in February, our team in Northwest Syria mobilized to provide hygiene kits, shelter supplies, and other essential items. We also worked with communities to repair boreholes that supply clean water across camps for displaced people and communities where we work. What’s ahead: Mercy Corps continues to work with communities to improve food security by supporting farmers, teaching young people new job skills, and helping small businesses thrive. Mercy Corps will continue our work in Ukraine, Horn of Africa, Syria, and 40+ countries even as we respond to the latest emergencies in Gaza, Afghanistan, and Nepal. We are committed to staying the course in the communities we serve long after the headlines fade — and I know you’ll be by our side. Thank you again for showing up for our teams, partners, and communities we serve with courage, kindness, and dedication to a future where everyone can flourish. Sincerely, Sonal Shinde Mercy Corps Interim Senior Director Global Response Team
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