Watch video: Where others see disasters...we see people determined to
rebuild
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[ [link removed] ]Mercy Corps
Dear Friend,
Extreme weather events. Violent political conflict. A rapidly-spreading
pandemic. When just one of these occurs, it’s a crisis for those caught in
the middle. Yet in many humanitarian crises worldwide, multiple disasters
— situations both sudden (like a hurricane) and protracted (like poverty)
— may lead to what are called "complex crises," or complex emergencies.
"Complex emergencies can erode the cultural, civil, political and
economic stability of societies, particularly when exacerbated by
natural hazards and diseases ... which further undermine livelihoods and
worsen poverty."
— Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations
So how do our teams who serve people living in some of the world’s most
complex crises begin to address the multiple causes and effects of natural
and human-made disasters?
To understand our approach in action, consider our work in Ethiopia, where
multiple crises are converging at an alarming pace. About 8.4 million
people in Ethiopia need humanitarian assistance due to internal conflict,
displacement, and recurrent natural hazards: flooding, drought, and desert
locust infestations. Diseases like cholera, dengue, and now COVID‑19
compromise health and livelihoods.
While the challenges here are enormous, we begin in Ethiopia as we do in
other complex crises worldwide: by tackling the root causes that put
people at risk. Our aim is to help people and their communities withstand
and recover from climate- and conflict-related shocks and stresses.
For example, as droughts depleted the health of their livestock,
disrupting food supplies and income, we helped Ethiopian farmers by
providing vouchers for emergency fodder and veterinary services. Small
businesses affected by flooding combined with COVID‑19 transport
restrictions were able to stay open when we provided stimulus payments,
stabilizing local economies. For Ethiopians who have been forced to flee
to neighboring Sudan due to ongoing violent conflict, we support a refugee
camp health center which provides basic medical services.
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Um Rakuba camp in Sudan, where Mercy Corps supports a health center,
currently houses about 20,000 refugees, with hundreds more arriving every
day, mainly from Ethiopia.
As COVID‑19 brought Ethiopia’s crisis to a new level of complexity, our
team was able to recognize an opportunity within the COVID‑19 response. We
identified women- and youth-owned small businesses that could pivot to
produce face coverings and hand-washing stations, and market soap and
cleaning supplies. The businesses we help support produced more than 130
handwashing stations, 840 liters of liquid soap, and more than 1,200 masks
for schools, markets, and offices, turning these critical health needs
into valuable local economic opportunities.
Complex problems require complex solutions. They require constant
adaptation and innovation. Our aim is to layer fresh solutions into our
current programming as efficiently and seamlessly as possible, rather than
pivoting to a brand new approach, as new complexities emerge. And it all
starts by believing in the power of people’s potential to help generate
the best solutions to the problems they face.
With more than 40 years of experience in global emergency response, it is
the people we serve — their determination, creativity, and willingness to
rebuild stronger — that inspire and guide our work. To learn more about
our approach to emergency response worldwide, please [ [link removed] ]visit our website,
or [ [link removed] ]watch our short video on Youtube.
[ Watch ]Watch the video
We’re grateful to have you in our global
community.
Thank you,
The Mercy Corps team
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