Fatuma Adan Mohammed is A 23-year-old refugee working as a CARE Community Development Worker with CARE’s Prevention of Sexual and Gender-based Violence program in Dagahaley camp, Dadaab Refugee Camp, Kenya. © CARE / Juliett OtienoWhen disaster strikes, CARE is one of the first to respond.
Fighting poverty is never more difficult than in times of crisis. Disasters and conflict disrupt the lives of more than 500 million people every year. CARE works in more than 70 countries around the world, so we are able to respond to emergencies fast and make sure help gets to where it is needed most.
The first phase of our response is to meet people’s basic needs, including food, water, sanitation, shelter and health care. Our emergency capacity - funds, resources and specialist staff - allows us to provide fast, effective assistance.
But our rapid emergency response is only the beginning. CARE works with communities for the long term, to help rebuild lives and livelihoods, and to help communities reduce their vulnerability to similar events in the future.
Because when emergencies, like drought or conflict, happen repeatedly it is difficult for people to work and support their families. This puts them at greater risk in the future, making them less able to cope when an emergency strikes. For vulnerable communities, any disaster can be catastrophic.
We reduce vulnerability to emergencies by working with communities to help them become better at predicting, preparing for and responding to disasters like floods, food shortages and conflict related emergencies.
After an emergency we move from response to recovery to ensure that communities are not dependant on handouts, but are able to help themselves. For example, in Haiti following the devastating earthquake CARE provided food, water and hygiene kits to those in need. But we also supported cash for work schemes enabling people to begin working again to support themselves.
The way in which CARE provides relief is important, as we aim to protect people’s dignity with everything that we do. Providing shelter, for example, is more than ensuring that people have a roof over their heads, shelter should be appropriate to the climate and culture and enable people to carry out daily activities.
Please give to our Rapid Response Fund. This helps us ensure that money is available immediately in a disaster. Donate now or sign up to our charity walk, Walk All Over Poverty.
