Stories

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.

With funding from the EU, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps girls like Lina through difficult times.

For thousands of migrants, Colombia's northern coastal town of Necoclí is the first step of a long journey. The destination: what they hope will be a better life.

Over 40 million people are currently facing starvation in the Sahel, including in Burkina Faso, where conflict is the leading cause of food insecurity. At least 1.7 million people are internally displaced due to the ongoing violence - including almost 900,000 children.

In Colombia, thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes due to the conflict. Maria Victoria* (60) is one of them.

Rehaf fled the war in Syria with her 2 daughters in 2015. The young mother found safety in Turkey and managed to build a new life and future for herself and her children.

The EU has supported vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to the COVID-19 vaccination campaigns, EU funding supports the rollout of routine childhood immunisations.

Thanks to UNICEF and the EU’s humanitarian support, health workers like Sedelia provide essential services to mothers and children.

The repression of paramilitary groups in her native Nicaragua forced Maria and her family to flee to Costa Rica at the end of 2018.

Refugee children are receiving help to overcome their trauma and, even for a short time, forget their worries.