In 2023, the world witnessed a complex and dynamic landscape, marked by both challenges and progress. Humanitarian efforts were influenced by ongoing global issues, conflicts and displacement. Here is a recap of key humanitarian developments in 2023 and MOAS’ updates.
Key event in 2023 from the world
Since the very beginning of this year, natural hazards and conflicts have severely rocked countries and impacted the lives of millions of people. To begin with, the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria on February 6th provoked tens of thousands of casualties; many people lost their lives or were injured. It especially impacted northwest Syria, worsening an already dire situation, with more than 4 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Other earthquakes hit Morocco and Afghanistan, respectively on 8th September and 7th October, killing and injuring thousands of people and causing widespread destruction in both countries.
Unfortunately, the list of dramatic events does not stop here. The war in Ukraine has been ongoing uninterruptedly since February 2022; the conflict that erupted in Sudan has caused over 6 million displaced people and created the worst child displacement crisis in the world, as explored in our previous blog.
The shipwreck of Cutro (Italy), on February 26, resulting in the tragic loss of nearly 100 migrants, including children, women, and men seeking safety and the opportunity for a better life, deeply unsettled the entire civil society. Unfortunately, as is often the case, governments and institutions failed to provide a satisfactory response and take meaningful actions.
The fight against climate change is now a race against time, and while the international community is trying to find other ways to save the few remaining resources, natural hazards such as flooding and fires – as the ones in Somalia and Libya – are still devastating villages and natural reserves, destroying communities but also biodiversity, plants and animals.
MOAS, Humanity in Action to Save Lives in Sudan
Given MOAS’ commitment to addressing emerging global crises promptly and effectively, we have started a new mission in Sudan, aimed to assist the communities most severely impacted by the armed conflict. 52 tons of therapeutic food have already been delivered, and our next step involves coordinating a shipment of vital medical supplies. Without the support of our partners Edesia Nutrition, Adra, UNHCR and Action Medeor, as well as the contribution from our donors, this project would not have been possible. We are all united to fight malnutrition and the loss of innocent human lives. The fundraising campaign to support the project is still ongoing; for further information, please visit the dedicated page.
Updates from MOAS ongoing missions 2023
Regarding our ongoing missions, we have some excellent news that we have been sharing with you all throughout the year.
MOAS medical mission in Ukraine, aimed to bring emergency medical aid to the people affected by the conflict and cut off from healthcare services, due to the escalation of the fighting. Thanks to our donors and partners – as well as the successful MOAS Humanitarian Relief Dinner aimed to raise funds for our project in Ukraine – we were able to increase the number of ambulances on the frontline from 27 to 50. Our skilled teams of 150 doctors, nurses and paramedics working tirelessly has saved more than 30,000 lives on the frontline so far, and over 21.000 in communities cut off from medical infrastructure (in 2022 over 5.000 people, and so far in 2023 over 16.000). If you are keen to get further details on the mission, read our previous blog.
In response to the heatwave that severely impacted Malta in the past summer with temperatures approaching 50 degrees, we donated 1,400 litres (700 bottles) of drinking water and 700 doses of re-hydration mineral salts to migrants residing in reception centres, particularly affected by this emergency. If you missed the news, read our press release. MOAS in Malta continues to be committed to assisting the most vulnerable migrant communities in any possible way, and to promote integration and inclusion whenever possible.
The annual fundraising event by MOAS was a great success! Held at the stunning Palazzo Parisio, this charitable occasion takes place every year to raise funds for our global life-saving missions. The event offered a delightful evening, allowing attendees to enjoy themselves while contributing to a meaningful cause and standing in solidarity with vulnerable communities. All net proceeds gathered from the event were directly and entirely donated to MOAS’ missions. Again, we extend our deepest gratitude to our amazing partners, sponsors, and donors, without which our work would not be possible. Find out more about the event in our press release.
Our mission to combat malnutrition started in 2019 and is still ongoing. Indeed, MOAS has built a reputation for providing therapeutic food in the fight against malnutrition in Yemen and Somalia, countries crippled by great political instability exacerbated by high rates of food insecurity, famine, drought and malnutrition, putting millions of lives at risk. Specifically, Somalia, after several failed rainy seasons, has recently experienced devastating floods, resulting in more than 50 fatalities and over 700,000 people displaced.
This year we continued our mission and successfully distributed over 80 tons of ready-to-use therapeutic foods to children on the brink of starvation, with the ongoing support of partners Edesia, Action Medeor, ADRA and IMC.
Since 2019, MOAS has been committed to Resilience-building and Disaster Risk Reduction for vulnerable communities, such as refugees, worldwide. Hence, through local partners, we provide consultancy services, technical advice and specific equipment designed to respond to the issues posed by water and fire in refugee camps worldwide.
MOAS provides technical advice to volunteers in refugee camps and nearby host communities. During the training volunteers can face emergency situations with proper preparation response. As of the end of 2023, we have provided more than 3,000 volunteers with training and technical advice on fire and water safety. All this is done with the support of international organisations on the ground and in collaboration with our local partners.
We also provide training to include household-level fire prevention to minimise the risk of fire outbreaks. Volunteers learn notions on safe cooking, including household safety measures from fire. Moreover, as part of our operational expansions, the MOAS team trained teachers on raising awareness among children of host communities and Rohingya refugees regarding fire prevention and preparation.
Thanks to these exercises and the equipment we provide, refugees and host community volunteers are prepared to minimise the impacts of fire and water hazards when they occur. MOAS is dedicated to continuing and expanding these DRR activities to improve the safety and resilience of vulnerable people worldwide.
Climate Change Campaign – Since last year MOAS started an educational and advocacy campaign addressing the increasing challenges climate migrants face. Through a global campaign promoted on our social media platforms, our aim is to educate people on the realities of climate refugees and highlight the need for policy changes.
Safe & Legal Routes Campaign – In 2023, MOAS continued to advocate for the implementation of #SafeAndLegalRoutes of migration. Throughout the year, we are focusing on raising awareness of the importance of allowing people escaping from war, famines, human rights violations, and natural hazards to reach safe countries in a safe way because nobody deserves to die at sea: https://www.moas.eu/safe-and-legal-routes/.
Through the explanation of legal definitions and the narratives of asylum and the obstacles they face, we further analyse the main factors driving migration –namely, economic, political, social, and environmental factors, so that our audience can better understand why people decide to leave their countries and risk their lives to reach safety.
Final thoughts
Our significant accomplishments stem from the extensive support we’ve extended to those we serve and from who is supporting us. We are committed to fostering a world where every individual is treated with dignity and respect, utilising our logistical expertise to promptly address evolving crises and offer sustained social assistance.
As we anticipate the year 2024, our commitment remains unwavering – we will persist in leveraging our logistical proficiency to swiftly respond to emerging challenges.
If you are interested in the work of MOAS and our partners, please follow us on social media, sign up for our newsletter and share our content. You can also reach out to us at any time via [email protected]. If you want to support our operations, please give what you can at www.moas.eu/donate.
