Stories

Studying tropical cyclones turned out to be too boring, she turned to firefighting instead. 30 years later, Claire Kowalewski is helping to make the EU’s wildfire response as fast and efficient as possible. On International Women’s Day, we asked her about the beginning of her professional journey.

In early November 2023, a powerful earthquake shook western Nepal, leaving behind a trail of destruction. Tens of thousands of homes were damaged as the country was bracing for bitterly cold winter months.

The Borena zone in southern Ethiopia is an area where communities live mostly off pastoralism and, therefore, livestock, is crucial for people’s livelihood and food.

Today, 2 years after the start of the full-scale war and 15 months since the liberation of Kherson, the city’s new reality is much more grim.

When Russia’s war on Ukraine started, the lives of Yuliia, a former kindergarten teacher, Kostiantyn, an engineer, and their two children were upended. This family from Kyiv faced a difficult decision: to stay or to seek refuge elsewhere.

An EU-funded programme has helped the twins recover, but much more needs to be done to prevent millions of other stories having a different ending.

Colombia’s ongoing conflict still forces thousands to flee armed clashes

In south-east Madagascar, a concerning situation is unfolding as malnutrition rates rise in rural communities. Years of neglect and multiple nature-induced disasters means local communities are now left particularly vulnerable.

As Türkiye marks 1 year since the devastating earthquakes of February 2023, Mustafa’s story is tragically familiar amongst the survivors who are still rebuilding their lives.

In addition to reaching hundreds of affected communities in both Syria and Türkiye with immediate relief in the aftermath of the earthquakes, GOAL delivered cash-based assistance to more than 210,000 people in Northwest Syria.

In the heart of Al Qusayr, Homs City in Syria, a resilient family clings to their home despite its battered state, a stark reminder of the ongoing 12-year-long Syrian crisis.

In February 2021, Myanmar’s army overthrew the democratically elected government and seized power in a military coup. The country fell into deep social, political and economic turmoil as the army conducted brutal campaigns against perceived opponents.

The oldest refugee settlement in Africa, Nakivale benefits from what is often lauded as the most progressive refugee policies in the world. Newcomers are given plots of land and are free to leave the settlement whenever they want.

In the small south African country of Eswatini, a 3-year EU-funded partnership is using cash assistance to improve people’s lives and increase their financial independence. This includes tackling food insecurity, future-proofing local farming techniques and strengthening the health system.

Ihor lives in the village of Pervomaiske, roughly 400km south of Kyiv. Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he found himself at the centre of intense fighting. In 2022 the frontline dissected his neighbourhood, with fighting in the streets.

“One day, they came and pulled me out of the basement. 4 hefty guys, well-armed, positioned me in front of the house with rifles and began interrogating me.”

“For a year, I felt homeless. I am so grateful to these people for repairing my roof and windows,” says Oksana, resident of the Obukhovychi village in Northern Ukraine.

Aliye and Sewsen are both mothers and refugees who fled from Syria in search of a safer future.

In Kilis, a community centre by the International Blue Crescent Relief & Development Foundation (IBC), provides a safe space for local and refugee children to learn, play and recover. In addition, women also receive support to help them overcome the trauma they have experienced.