It is well – and sadly – known that two terrible humanitarian crises are happening in Ukraine and the Middle East, where an increasingly dramatic number of civilians, including countless children, are affected by the war. However, at the same time, less is known about other world areas with equally serious humanitarian emergencies that MOAS has decided to tackle as soon as it had the resources to do so. We are talking about Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Syria/Türkiye.
With this blog, we would like to show you – in a simple but effective way – what the situation is in these countries and how you can help us implement our aid delivery programs on the occasion of Giving Tuesday.
What is Happening There? Let’s Make It Clear
Those mentioned above are four different Countries, with different people and cultures, located in areas ranging from North Africa (Sudan) to the Middle East (Yemen, Syria, Türkiye), to the Horn of Africa (Somalia). However, they share a similar story since all of them are endangered by 2 significant threats. The first one is internal conflict – the result of the violent effort of various State and non-State actors to take control and govern the Country. The second one is climate change, whose effects – including desertification, which has a hazardous impact on food and water security – put at risk Nations which were dry even before the global warming began to be felt. And the victims are first the innocents: civilians, including children.
Why MOAS’ Work is Crucial
One of our previously published blogs shows how serious the humanitarian situation is: even if “the world’s farmers produce enough food to feed more than the global population, yet hunger persists” (FAO). As a result, over 2.33 billion people faced moderate to severe food insecurity in 2023 (WHO), of whom 3.4 million are in Somalia (World Food Programme), 17 million are in Yemen (World Bank), 12.9 million are in Syria (World Food Programme) and 25.6 million are in Sudan (UNICEF). These dramatic numbers stem from the situation previously described, i.e. the double threat given by the civil conflict and extreme weather phenomena.
How can one forget, for example, the terrible 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Türkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023, causing more than 50,000 victims in total, and resulting in 3,3 mln homeless in Türkiye and 352 households (HHs) of Syrian refugees?
MOAS, in the face of these numbers of displaced, and hunger-stricken people, could not stand by and do nothing. And so, starting with Yemen in 2019, we set up #MissionsOfHope in these areas of the world not to leave the most vulnerable – and powerless – alone. We thus started delivering nutritional and medical aid to them, always in collaboration with our partners, namely Malteser International (in Syria/Türkiye), Edesia (in Yemen, Somalia and Sudan), Medeor (in Yemen and Sudan), International Medical Corps (in Somalia), Adra (in Yemen and Sudan), UNHCR (in Sudan).
Our Impact
To date, MOAS has shipped a total of 250 tonnes of nutritional aid and 325.000 worth of medical supplies to Yemen; 130 tonnes of nutritional aid to Somalia; 52 tonnes of nutritional aid to Sudan. Food deliveries consist in Ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) and Ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF), which are part of a program aimed at treating malnutrition in children and lactating women. In addition, in response to the February 6, 2023 earthquake, we cooperated with Malteser International to distribute 355 hygiene kits to 352 households of Syrian refugees in Aslani Camp (Türkiye).
Filling the Gap
“MOAS staff go where others are afraid to go”. Christopher Catrambone, founder of MOAS, said this about filling the gap. “Driven by innovation and efficiency, MOAS creates models for work considered to be impossible, we access areas other organisations consider too risky.” (ibid.). These words perfectly reflect our missions in the Middle East, Africa and Horn of Africa as we work to reach vulnerable communities in world zones that are particularly risky from a security point of view (whether due to war or extreme climates).
Why Your Donation Matters This Giving Tuesday
When Christopher Catrambone was asked what the most urgent need for MOAS was, he answered with one word: funds. The organization’s missions in these critical world areas are costly, this is why we struggle every day for being financially supported. After all, the more the funds, the more aid delivered, and lives saved. Otherwise, we would not be able to keep on responding to the world’s humanitarian crises that are affecting civilians’ – including children’s – lives. This Giving Tuesday, your contribution can have a concrete impact: by donating, you directly support the incredible work that is performed under extreme conditions.
Join Us This Giving Tuesday – Final Thoughts
MOAS’ work in Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Syria had, and is still having, a very positive impact on thousands of lives. By delivering nutritional and medical aid, we are not only saving lives, but also offering hope for a better future, especially to the youngest. This Giving Tuesday, please consider donating to MOAS and helping us continue this vital work.
Your support can make a difference. Please consider donating to help us continue our missions and save lives. Visit www.moas.eu/donate to contribute. For more updates on our work, follow us on social media, sign up for our newsletter, or contact us at [email protected].
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.