EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Global Emergency Response Programs

Save the Children does whatever it takes to be there for children in crisis – as we have for every major humanitarian crisis since World War I. Always at the ready, we are among the first to respond and the last to leave, staying as long as it takes to help children and families recover from their losses, restore their lives and build resilience for years to come. In 2020, we helped 18.5 million children in crisis. Learn more about our history of emergency response.

Children and Disasters

No one knows when the next earthquake, flood or tsunami will strike. But we do know the scale of crisis in the world has increased exponentially in recent years. In 2018 alone, 62 million people were affected by extreme weather events and since 2017, 31 million people have been displaced as a direct result of natural disaster or conflict, with children always among the most vulnerable.

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Current Disaster Relief and Global Emergency Responses

In Ukraine, a girl wears warm winter clothing while standing alone against a dark background.

Ukraine Crisis

The Ukraine crisis, which started in 2014, has already forced at least 1.5 million people from their homes. The recent escalation in hostilities in Ukraine has put at least 7.5 million children in grave danger of physical harm, severe emotional distress displacement. LEARN MORE

Two girls walk down a dirt road in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan Crisis

As the United States begins welcoming newly arriving Afghan refugees, Save the Children has mobilized to meet their most urgent needs. We stand committed to the Afghan people and our commitment to stay and deliver in Afghanistan, where we've been working since 1976. LEARN MORE

Three young children sit together outside a damaged building in Haiti following a devastating earthquake.

Haiti Emergency

The earthquake in Haiti has created a critically dangerous situation for children and families, many of whom were already experiencing extreme poverty, hunger, and violence. LEARN MORE

An El Salvadorian father comforts his 12-year old son. The boy lost his older brother to gang violence and the family cannot return home as a result. Save the Children is gravely concerned about the treatment and well-being of children from Central America and Mexico who are in the custody of the United States government after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Photo credit: Tom Pilston / Save the Children, May 2017

U.S. Border Crisis

Innocent children have been forced to flee their homes due to violence, gangs and crushing poverty in Latin America. Separation and detention are devastating children and families. Thanks to the generous support of our donors, Save the Children is helping migrant children and their families. READ MORE

A boy wears a red Save the Children hat and a cloth face mask while standing outside.

Coronavirus Outbreak

With each day, the risks to education and psychological impact the Coronavirus pandemic can have on children grows. The world’s leading expert on childhood, Save the Children is engaged in the most sweeping humanitarian response in our 101-year history. We aim to protect the lives and futures of a generation of children from the harms caused by the COVID-19 crisis. LEARN MORE

Nusair*, 13 months old, lies on a bed in his house in Hodeidah, Yemen. Severely malnourished, the baby boy was treated for malnutrition in a Save the Children supported clinic. Credit: Mohammed Awadh / Save the Children, Oct 2018

Yemen Crisis

In war-torn Yemen, 85,000 children may have died from starvation since the start of the crisis. As the largest aid organization in Yemen, Save the Children is on the ground, working to help the most vulnerable survive and stay safe. SUPPORT YEMEN RELIEF

A two-year-old girl sits on the floor of her family’s tent in a camp for displaced people on the northern Syrian border. Photo credit: Ahmad Baroudi/Save the Children, May 2015.

Syrian Conflict and Refugee Crisis

Syria has been a living nightmare for children and families tormented by years of war and unimaginable hardship. As millions flee for their lives, your help is desperately needed. LEARN ABOUT SYRIAN REFUGEES

A young girl with injuries rests on the floor after surviving the Beruit explosion in Lebanon.

Lebanon Crisis

After a devastating explosion in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, children and families already facing COVID-19, as well as economic and political crisis, are more vulnerable than ever. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CRISIS

This five-year-old girl fled Myanmar with her family when their village was attacked. They’re now living in a makeshift camp in Bangladesh. Children account for some 60% of the Rohingyas who've arrived in Bangladesh since the sudden and rapid escalation of violence in Myanmar. Photo Credit: GMB Akash/Save the Children, October 2017.

Rohingya Crisis

In 2017, violence in Myanmar led to the fastest moving exodus of people – the Rohingya people – since the Rwandan genocide. Amid a global pandemic, nearly one million people remain stranded in Cox's Bazar, the largest refugee camp in the world. We are working to treat COVID-19 cases and support the basic human rights of Rohingya families. FIND OUT MORE

Children in Kenya head to a watering point to collect what they can. In Kenya, drought has devastated millions of people, including children. The desperate search for food, water or an income has put millions of children’s lives and futures at risk as they must travel far distances in search of water, often times risking injury, violence or worse. Photo credit: Mark Njoroge / Save the Children, October 2019.

Climate Crisis in the Horn of Africa

A climate crisis, where the rising of global temperatures is creating extreme weather, including severe heat waves and drought, is creating a widespread humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa. GET THE LATEST

A migrant child lays on the shoulder of a family member

Venezuela Regional Crisis

Economic collapse and internal conflict is driving millions of Venezuelans from their homes. Before COVID-19, the UN estimated 7 million people, or 25% of the population, were in need of humanitarian assistance. Now, closed borders and isolation measures due to coronavirus are exacerbating their already dire circumstances. Children need your help now. LEARN MORE

Aswini, age four, lived with her family in a tent settlement in Nepal after the earthquake. Save the Children provided displaced families, including Aswini’s, essential items including infant kits, warm clothes, hats and blankets as well as hygiene kits. Photo credit: Jonathan Hyams/Save the Children, April 2015.

Historical Emergencies

From our very beginnings, Save the Children has made it our mission to save the lives of boys and girls in danger around the world. In times of crisis, we’re always among the first to respond, working to keep children safe and helping families rebuild their lives. VIEW PAST EMERGENCIES

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