When a crisis strikes, our local partner organisations on the ground are able to respond quickly to provide emergency assistance to communities impacted by natural disasters, like cyclones, floods and earthquakes, as well as protracted crises, like refugee displacement.

Our emergency response programs provide urgent relief to communities affected by a crisis, through the distribution of food, clean water, shelter, hygiene kits and other emergency supplies. 

Our development programs are longer-term programs, which involve working with local communities to develop the resources, knowledge and skills to tackle future disasters. This includes Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) activities that help to build the resilience of communities so that they can plan for the future and minimise the damage of natural disasters.

In the past 30 years, the number of people living in cyclone-prone areas has increased by 192%. 

The challenges of poverty are compounded when natural disasters strike without warning. The loss of livelihoods, infrastructure and agriculture can lead to food insecurity and unemployment, driving people further into poverty.

Nearly one in five people affected by a humanitarian crisis will experience depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental illnesses.  

Children who fled war or disaster zones may find it difficult to adjust to a new environment. Psychological support is essential to help children and adults to recover from the shock of displacement.  

Since 2017, hundreds and thousands of Rohingya people have crossed the border into neighbouring Bangladesh to escape violence and persecution. Many now reside in Cox’s Bazar, the largest refugee camp in the world.  

Through our partnership with Caritas Bangladesh – and with the support of generous people like you – we run a Women Friendly Spaces project that supports women refugees in Cox’s Bazar with counselling and emotional support. The program also provides sewing classes, hygiene training and parenting programs to help refugees adjust to their new home. 

In Timor-Leste, flash flooding forced many residents in the capital, Dili – which was under a COVID-19 lockdown – to seek shelter in crowded evacuation centres.  

COVID-19 compounds the existing social, economic and health challenges experienced by communities living in poverty. The pandemic is expected to push another 40-60 million people into extreme poverty. Ongoing support and long-term development work are essential to help vulnerable communities to get through this pandemic and rebuild their economy and livelihoods. 

In the immediate aftermath of an emergency, our network of local partners on the ground can mobilise immediately to provide shelter, food, clean water, hygiene kits and emergency supplies to vulnerable communities.  

We utilise churches and agencies that are trusted by the local community to reach affected households and to conduct needs assessments. These local networks allow us to reach people in the most remote areas and ensure that we have the most skilled personnel on the ground who understand the local context.  

It takes months, and sometimes years, for a community to recover from an emergency. Through your ongoing support, our local partners can continue to work with affected communities on their road to recovery. 

We support projects led by our local community partner organisations on the ground, who can use their knowledge of their local environment to assist in their planning. By improving community preparedness, we can help minimise the loss of lives and infrastructure when a disaster strikes. 

In Cambodia, the Upholding Community Dignity Together program, which Caritas Australia implements with eight local NGO partner organisations, helps communities to manage the effects of drought and extreme weather events. The program empowers participants with sustainable farming skills and irrigation techniques so that they can maintain their crops throughout the year.