Crisis watch

Cameroon

Conflict between non-state armed groups and security forces in Cameroon has left displaced civilians and their host communities in desperate need of support. To date 160,000 people have been forced to flee their homes. The majority of the displaced families are taking refuge in the forest and are constantly moving to escape clashes. Anne Perrot-Bihina, CARE Cameroon’s Country Director, says:

We are particularly concerned about the situation of women and girls, who are always specifically affected by violent conflicts and who are forced to live unprotected in the rainforest or in degraded urban settings.

CARE’s team in Cameroon is exploring with partners and local NGOs how to best respond to needs for shelter, food, clean water, medical assistance, psychosocial support, and livelihoods recovery.

• Read more in our press release

Yemen

More than 200,000 people have fled Hodeidah since the offensive on the port city began over a month ago. Many have fled to Hajjah governorate, where CARE is responding with water and sanitation support for internally displaced people. At school buildings which are hosting hundreds of people who have fled from Hodeidah, CARE has rehabilitated latrines as well as the water network, and installed a solar system to provide lighting for protection at night. We have also provided a clean water tank, and distributed hygiene items such as soap and cleaning items.

Bushra Aldukhainah, CARE Area Manager in Hajjah, says:

We are doing everything we can to make the place more livable. But if the numbers continue to rise, and the situation will continue to worsen, we are soon reaching the end of our capacity level.

Syria

CARE has so far distributed vital aid to more than 66,000 Syrians displaced by the latest offensive in the South of the country. From clean water, to tents, food, and nappies, we are supporting men, women, and children who have been uprooted in the direst circumstances and have nowhere safe to go. Wouter Schaap, CARE’s Syria director, said:

The work our partners are doing on the ground is literally life-saving. For humanitarian workers to be able to keep on delivering aid on the frontlines, they need to be protected and allowed free access to all people in need.

Mali

The onset of the lean season means more than 4 million people are facing food shortages over the coming months, with nearly a million in need of immediate food assistance. In Mopti region, CARE is providing immediate assistance to 6,112 distressed and highly vulnerable households, each of which will receive a monthly food ration consisting of rice, vegetable oil, sugar, millet, couscous/spaghetti, salt, peanut seed, powdered milk. 

CARE is also providing cash assistance through mobile phones (the 'NGO PAY' system through ECOBANK Mali) which is an efficient way to distribute aid which beneficiaries then spend locally, helping to develop or revive the local economy.

Ethiopia

Over 1 million people are estimated to be displaced in Gedeo and West Guji zones following recent inter-communal violence. The influx of internally displaced people (IDP) has seen near doubling of populations in a region already affected by drought and food insecurity. Despite government provision of food assistance, the huge majority of needs remain unaddressed. The overcrowded living conditions in the IDP sites (183 sites in Gedeo alone) could result in major disease outbreaks and has generated serious protection concerns and risks. With START funding, CARE has distributed non-food items to 1,500 households (7,650 people), and we are seeking funds to assist 15% of the total IDP population in Gedeo zone (150,000 people).

• Read more in our press release