The Humanitarian Coalition members are taking care of basic survival needs and helping people rebuild their lives when their homes, schools and livelihoods have been devastated by a disaster. Learn more about these crises and meet people who have benefited from your support.
Twelve-year-old Florida hopes to become a nurse one day. She came top in her class last term but now her future hangs in the balance, after floods in the wake of Cyclone Idai crashed into her village in Malawi last month, destroying everything in their path.
“All I could think about was saving myself and my baby. I climbed on top of a tree. I spent four days on top of the tree before I saw a boat coming. I was so tired but so happy that help was finally coming.”
In 2018, the Humanitarian Coalition helped save thousands of people, protected children and women, and gave families the opportunity to rebuild their lives after they had lost everything. Click on the links to read the stories of people whose lives were transformed through the work of the Humanitarian Coalition thanks to the generosity of our donors, the support of the Canadian government, and the impact of leading aid agencies working together.
“We are drinking dirty water,” she said. “We want something to purify our water. Our children are getting sick with diarrhea and other diseases.”
“We were very disheartened,” says Gulnaz Bibi as she recounts the day Tropical Cyclone Keni hit the western side of the beautiful Fiji Island where she lives.
Habiba has not had an easy life. And every time the 40-year-old mother of 10 overcomes one hardship, it seems like life is waiting to throw another challenge at her. What would it take to give this courageous woman some relief?
“Before the earthquake we were happy, and life was normal,” said Jocelyn. “I was four months pregnant when it happened, and I had a one-year-old son. I was so afraid. I grabbed the baby and ran. My first thought was my baby, but I was so relieved to see my husband alive.”
He seemed like an ordinary guy. And in many ways, he was. Loyal, modest, “a true gentleman” – his friends and family describe Lynn Ostergaard as a man who downplayed his own colourful career, chose a simple lifestyle, and was attentive to the needs of others.
On February 13, Mausa was in the eye of Tropical Cyclone Gita – the strongest storm to strike southern Tonga in a generation. The cyclone resulted in two deaths and more than 400 injuries.
What’s the difference between a hurricane, a typhoon and a cyclone?