Tag Archive for: Doctors Without Borders

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How Aid Groups Support Migrant Domestic Workers in Lebanon

Migrant Domestic Workers in LebanonIn Lebanon, migrant domestic workers (MDW) experience multidimensional poverty on an exacerbated level. More than 250,000 migrant domestic workers in Lebanon predominantly come from “African and Asian countries” under the kafala system, a sponsorship system that is described as “modern-day slavery.” Women are most affected by this system. According to U.N. Women, women make up 76% of all migrant workers and 99% of MDW who come to Lebanon.

The Kafala System

The Lebanese state excludes MDW from the Labor Law, leaving them without basic legal protections. Instead, they are in a contractual relationship with their employer, who is responsible for their “legal status and visa.” Employers frequently confiscate passports and restrict movement, shaping their daily lived reality. 

U.N. Women reports that “94% of employers withheld the worker’s passport and 61% of employers did not allow the worker to engage in social or learning activities with NGOs.” Working conditions for MDWs under the kafala system are extremely difficult. They are subject to long hours with little to no time off. 

MDWs report “verbal and psychological abuse and physical violence” inflicted on them by their employer. U.N. Women has documented that 22.5% of Lebanese employers “always or sometimes lock their domestic worker inside the house.”

Racialized Labor and Social Discrimination Against MDWs

Racism underpins the treatment of MDWs in Lebanon. Migration patterns document that the majority of MDWs in Lebanon are from Ethiopia. As a result, the term “El-Ethiopiyye,” meaning “The Ethiopian,” is a derogatory label used to refer to all MDWs, regardless of what their actual nationality is. 

Furthermore, health care access remains severely restricted for them. Hospitals and doctors turn MDWs away for “not having legal documents, or simply because they’re not Lebanese.” Many MDWs avoid seeking health care because they fear deportation and lack the financial means to pay for the treatment. 

The combination of poor working conditions and inability to access health care is prevalent in the increasing number of cases in psychiatric consultations. Doctors Without Borders reports that from 2023 to 2024, “psychiatric consultations in the Bourj Hammoud clinic doubled.” 

Economic Collapse, COVID-19 and Armed Conflict

Economic collapse, the COVID-19 pandemic and armed conflict have intensified the vulnerability of MDWs in Lebanon. Following COVID-19, the Lebanese lira depreciated, leading to wage cuts for MDWs. A worker who was able to send their family $200 is now only able to send $120, subject to fluctuating exchange rates.

The 2024 Israel bombing of Lebanon left MDWs extremely vulnerable. Many employers fled Beirut, leaving their workers behind. Doctors Without Borders reports that employers abandoned MDWs on the streets or locked them inside their homes as they fled for safety.

Doctors Without Borders

Doctors Without Borders is an international medical humanitarian organization that delivers lifesaving aid to people in crisis worldwide. The organization operates in more than 75 countries, including Lebanon. Since its founding in 1971, it has been working to deliver care, including surgery, vaccination, nutrition support and mental health support.

The charity has a clinic in the northern Beirut suburb of Bourj Hammoud. Here, the organization responds to medical needs through consultations, sexual and reproductive health services and mental health services. Its clinic also covers any life-threatening referral costs from hospitalization.

To break down barriers for migrant workers accessing health care in Lebanon, it offers translators for medical appointments. This decreases the risk of migrant workers being unable to access appropriate health care due to language barriers. The organization expands its medical care to encompass meeting migrant workers’ basic needs. To support this, it has social workers who refer patients to services that provide basic needs such as food and shelter.

Following the Israeli bombing of Lebanon, the initiative set up a mobile clinic from which it donated essential relief items and delivered medical care. During this aid effort, the organization delivered 400 kits of basic relief items to shelters, which included hygiene materials and mattresses. The organization further provided mental health outreach for those affected by the bombing.

Beatrice’s Story

Doctors Without Borders has helped hundreds of migrant workers, including Beatrice. It documented that on October 6, 2024, Lebanon was under bombardment by Israel and Beatrice had been left locked inside the house alone. To flee her employer’s home, Beatrice jumped from the balcony and broke her ankles.

The organization interviewed Beatrice, who stated: “My friends called an organization to see if they could support me with the treatment. That organization, along with Doctors Without Borders, covered my surgery, medication and the two-month recovery period.” Without the aid of the charity, Beatrice would have suffered her injuries without hope of medical attention.

Hope Beyond Kafala

While the kafala system continues to exploit migrant domestic workers in Lebanon, the work of humanitarian organizations offers a powerful counter-narrative of hope and resilience. Groups such as Doctors Without Borders demonstrate that access to health care, dignity and protection is possible even within deeply unequal structures. 

– Lucy Kerr 

Lucy is based in Coventry, UK and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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5 Diseases Impacting Myanmar

Diseases Impacting MyanmarMyanmar is a nation of more than 100 ethnic groups, yet the Rohingya genocide has brought attention to the country’s corrupt military takeover from 2021. Due to the poor living conditions in the country and the current climate crisis, the diseases impacting Myanmar run rampant, but these are not just medical problems. They are symptoms of a broken health care system that conflict, repression, displacement and underfunding have weakened. However, the combined effort of international aid and volunteering has allowed some solutions to this health crisis. Here is information about five diseases that are impacting Myanmar.

5 Diseases Impacting Myanmar

The communicable diseases impacting Myanmar include:

  • Tuberculosis: The incidence rate of TB was 558 per 100,000 population in 2023 and close to 50,000 deaths are as a result of the disease in Myanmar. Treatment interruptions have increased drug-resistant TB, yet NGOs are still using community-based treatment. More than 3.5 million internally displaced people and worsening poverty have increased TB vulnerability. In 2024, Doctors Without Borders helped 480 people start treatment for TB, with 981 staff in Myanmar providing health care services.
  • Malaria: In 2023, there were 229,000 cases of malaria in Myanmar. Cases are resurging in conflict areas, despite proven interventions such as bed-net distribution, rapid testing and cross-border health programs. However, Myanmar aims to eliminate the transmission of malaria cases by 2030, and 126,562 patients received treatment between January and August 2025, according to Deputy Minister for Health, Professor Dr Aye Tun. 
  • HIV/AIDS: Disrupted access to antiretroviral therapy places lives at risk, even though mobile clinics have proven effective. In 2023, 0.9% of people aged between 15 and 49 suffered from HIV, with 5,800 of them dying. These diseases are not just affecting older people, but children and young adults, as well as people in detention.
  • Dengue Fever: Rising infections linked to poor sanitation highlight the need for investment in water, waste management and disease surveillance. Myanmar is a country with frequent and continuous risk of dengue, especially due to seasonal changes. In 2019, dengue fever mostly infects children aged between 5 and 9 years old with 4,473 cases registered. The Ministry of Health tries to combat dengue by killing mosquito larvae, then fogging houses near patients to eliminate mosquitoes.
  • Cholera/Diarrheal Diseases: Cholera is a waterborne disease that has surged in at least nine states in Myanmar since 2024. Around 300 people reported suffering from a cholera outbreak in late 2025, with seven confirmed dead. These people include vulnerable children without safe water or living conditions. Emergency WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) interventions that international donors support can address conditions.

Chronic Illnesses

Chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cancer are fatal for these people, because hospitals are underfunded, medicines are unavailable and travel to care is dangerous. Expanding access to health care, essential medicines lists and decentralized treatment is critical. Myanmar remains one of the world’s most underfunded humanitarian operations, receiving less than $136 million in 2025 of the $1.1 billion it needs.

The Relationship Between Poverty and Disease in Myanmar

In developing countries like Myanmar, preventative medicines and measures can be obtained by the wealthy, but this means that often, families without enough money face higher risks of dying from avoidable disease. Whilst in developed countries, the elderly are more likely to face these diseases, in Myanmar, people younger than the age of 70, and even children are suffering from both communicable and non-communicable diseases, due to the disparity between the country’s rich and the poor. Nearly 32% of the country lives in poverty. Poverty and disease in Myanmar share a symbiotic relationship, especially considering that after the 2025 earthquake, many people are living in tents, allowing outbreaks of cholera and other waterborne diseases to occur.

Solutions

There have been developments however. The Republic of Korea made a generous contribution to UNICEF to help families and the vulnerable in Myanmar, especially considering that one-third of more than 3.5 million displaced are children.

Organizations like Doctors Without Borders are trying their best to support Myanmar’s health care. Following the 2025 earthquake, it has restored more than 200 bore holes, supplied hospital beds and been trying to aid victims of serious diseases. Following the 2021 military coup, Doctors Without Borders donated medical supplies to Yangon and other locations. The success of help like this is demonstrated in the case of Ko Tin Maung Shwe, a patient suffering from HIV and hepatitis C. With hospitals being destroyed and the fear of travelling, Doctors Without Borders are helping patients like him with blood tests, consultations and medication. As well as this, it is expanding access to psychosocial support.

All of this help is essential because the ongoing conflict in Myanmar by the military regime has damaged civilian infrastructure and in 2023 alone, more than 418 attacks on health care had occurred. Alongside the violence, the climate crisis that has caused major earthquakes in Myanmar has led to an increase in the number of vulnerable people suffering from disease.

How Is the World Aiding Myanmar?

In 2025, the U.K. announced additional humanitarian funding to provide health care to 1 million people across Myanmar. The then Minister for Development, Anneliese Dodds, underscored this commitment by stressing that the U.K. would not abandon the people enduring a brutal conflict – one that has fueled a humanitarian emergency in a country already exposed to the impacts of changing weather patterns. This assistance has extended beyond the Rohingya community, supporting vulnerable populations nationwide, particularly in the aftermath of the 2025 Myanmar earthquake. Despite this, Donald Trump’s USAID cuts have severely limited the amount of health care support that exists, but countries within the EU, as well as NGOs like UNICEF, are still trying to help the crisis in Myanmar. UN agencies are committed to helping affected populations in Myanmar, proven by the fact that in July 2025, nearly 306,000 people across 59 earthquake-hit townships received health services.

Looking Ahead

People in Myanmar are in desperate need of humanitarian aid. They are not just suffering from war injuries, but they are also dying from illnesses that the international community already knows how to treat. The diseases impacting Myanmar are more than humanitarian crises, they are symbols of injustice, repression and perhaps even hope – hope that once the world understands how much the vulnerable people need help, they will act.

– Anisa Begum

Anisa is based in Birmingham, UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Water Scarcity, Inadequate Sanitation and Food Insecurity in Chad

Food Insecurity in ChadChad has been experiencing severe food insecurity and water scarcity, combined with insufficient sanitation services, for several years now. The main contributors to these disasters have been flooding, drought, conflict and inadequate infrastructure. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), Chad is now facing its sixth consecutive year of crisis-level hunger.

These crises have been worsened by the influx of refugees entering the country from Sudan, the Central African Republic, Nigeria, Cameroon and other neighboring states. According to UNHCR data, more than 1.45 million refugees currently reside in Chad. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 90% of these refugees are women and children.

There are also nearly 226,000 internally displaced Chadians. In addition, children account for 57% of Chad’s total population, according to UNICEF.

Food Insecurity in Chad

Chad is currently the sixth most food-insecure country in the world. The WFP reports there are currently more than 3.4 million Chadians facing extreme hunger, a 240% increase since 2020. UNICEF has stated that there are more than 2 million Chadian children in need of treatment for severe wasting, which is the most life-threatening stage of malnutrition.

Additionally, according to the Global Nutrition Report, 31.1% of children in Chad under the age of 5 are stunted. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reports that in Chad, “the 2024/25 agricultural season is marked by the destruction of 819,370 hectares of sown land, primarily due to floods, plant pests and straying livestock. Conflict has also disrupted agriculture, adding to food insecurity in Chad.

The International Crisis Group has reported that between 2021 and 2024, farmer-herder conflict claimed the lives of more than 1,000 Chadians and left more than 2,000 injured. According to FEWS NET, agropastoral clashes have led to significant loss of life: “Since May 2025, 42 people were killed in Logone Occidental, 16 in Ouaddaï, 17 in Mayo Kebbi Ouest and six in Salamat due to these conflicts.” FEWS NET also reported that as of late June, only 11.8% of people earmarked for Chad’s 2025 humanitarian assistance plan had received food aid.

Humanitarian Aid

The WFP reported that between June and August 2024, it had disbursed food, cash and nutritional support to up to 1 million people and provided aid to an additional 400,000 people who had been impacted by flooding. Furthermore, it aims to assist 1 million breastfeeding and pregnant women, along with children aged 6-59 months, with treatment for malnutrition.

According to the FAO, in 2024, the United Nations (U.N.) provided 58.7 tonnes of crops and 3.5 tonnes of vegetable seed to more than 22,800 households in Chad. As a result, 42,660 tonnes of staple foods and 14,400 tonnes of fruits and vegetables were cultivated. Thirty percent was consumed and the remainder was sold for more than $5 million, distributed in average payments of $280 per household, which was sufficient to supply food for up to six months.

Additionally, in early 2025, the European Commission announced that it had allocated €74.5 million (approximately $83.9 million) to Chad for humanitarian assistance. According to UNICEF, in April, the organization appealed for $114.2 million in aid for Chad, with more than $50 million allocated for nutritional support and more than $24 million dedicated to WASH services. However, only 34% of the required funding has been secured.

Water Scarcity and Sanitation

According to the Interactive Country Fiches (ICF), “Chad has the third-lowest level of access to safe water and the lowest level of access to adequate sanitation in all of Africa.” Only 52% of Chad’s population has basic access to drinking water. However, Gannet’s Data Friendly Space (DFS) has reported that only 18% have access to safely managed sources and merely 10% of Chadians have access to basic sanitation.

Doctors Without Borders (DWB) reports, “In refugee camps across the Ouaddaï, Wadi Fira and Ennedi Est provinces, most refugees are receiving far less than the recommended 20 liters (nearly 5 gallons) of clean water per day. This shortage disproportionately affects women and children.” According to UNICEF, Chad’s mortality rate for children under the age of 5 is approximately one in 10. Gannet’s DFS reports that malaria is the leading cause of these deaths, while noting that insufficient sanitation, stagnant water and overcrowded camps further increase the risk of transmission.

Additionally, according to UNICEF, 68% of the population practices open defecation. This stems in part from the lack of latrines in refugee camps; DWB reports that many camps fail to meet the minimum standard of one latrine for every 50 people. With such a high rate of flooding, open defecation and inadequate water management, waterborne disease has wreaked havoc, leading to outbreaks of hepatitis E, cholera and typhoid. According to the WHO, between January and April 2024, there were 2,092 suspected cases of hepatitis E.

Cholera Outbreak

Regarding the recent cholera outbreak, the chief of WASH in Chad, Oumar Doumbouya, stated: “As of 20 October, we have 2,770 cases of cholera and 156 deaths, including 69 in communities. The disease remains active in three provinces: Ouaddaï, Sila and Guéra.” In 2024, the International Water Association reported that more than 78% of the population in N’Djamena, Chad’s capital, obtained water from hand pumps.

Doumbouya noted that UNICEF is working to improve water sources across the country. “Just to give you a figure, we have been recently working on trying to upgrade water points in Chad to put this from a simple hand pump to a solar motorized water supply system and basically, we were able to identify more than 5,000 water points that needed to be upgraded.”

UNICEF has reported that in February 2024, it facilitated funding for the installation of two water treatment units in Baga Sola and Bol, which, combined, provide 20 liters of water per person to 4,000 people each day. DWB has also made significant contributions to improving conditions in refugee camps. According to the organization, “In the last two years, MSF [DWB] treated 43,908 patients for acute malnutrition and responded to hepatitis E and typhoid outbreaks in Adré, Aboutengue and Metché.”

In the Adré transit camp alone, water systems built by DWB produced 654,000 liters of water per day in May. The organization also restored 229 latrines, constructed 80 long-term latrines and cleaned 539 existing ones in Adré.

Final Remarks

The battle against food insecurity, water scarcity and poor sanitation in Chad is far from over. However, with the help of international organizations, the nation is making progress every day.

– Owen Armentrout

Owen is based in Detroit, MI, USA and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Being Poor in Afghanistan

Being Poor in AfghanistanImagine receiving the only nutritious meal of the day at school, or a mother finally having access to a skilled birth attendant after walking miles to reach a mobile health clinic. For millions of Afghans, these scenarios represent not just hope, but the tangible reality of one of the world’s most successful humanitarian responses.

Being poor in Afghanistan has reached unprecedented levels, with 64.9% of the population now living in multidimensional poverty and 85% surviving on less than one dollar per day. An estimated 15.8 million people face acute food insecurity, while 23.7 million people require humanitarian assistance to survive. Despite these overwhelming challenges and being poor in Afghanistan becoming increasingly widespread, international organizations created an unprecedented network of support that reached 22.4 million Afghans in 2024.

Revolutionary Food Programs Transform Lives

The World Food Programme (WFP) revolutionized food assistance in Afghanistan, reaching 11.8 million people through a groundbreaking approach that stimulates local economies while fighting hunger. Rather than simply distributing food, 42% of the 1.3 million monthly beneficiaries receive cash-based transfers, allowing families to purchase goods from local vendors and inject vital resources directly into Afghan communities.

The program’s school feeding initiative provides children their only nutritious meal each day. School feeding activities create powerful incentives for families to keep children in school with positive impacts on school participation and learning that help break cycles of poverty through education.

Medical Miracles in Remote Regions

Doctors Without Borders pioneered mobile health care solutions, bringing advanced medical care directly to Afghanistan’s most isolated communities. In 2023, the organization performed 15,200 surgical interventions and assisted 45,260 deliveries across nine projects in eight provinces, maintaining 130 to 200% bed occupancy rates due to overwhelming demand.

The organization’s teams extend life-saving medical services to populations who previously had no access to professional care, with very high bed occupancy rates, sometimes with two or even three patients sharing one bed due to overwhelming demand. More than 50% of MSF’s medical staff are women, creating culturally appropriate care that dramatically improved maternal and child health outcomes.

Children’s Health Revolution Shows Dramatic Results

UNICEF achieved remarkable success protecting Afghan children through comprehensive health and education programs. In 2024, humanitarian efforts expanded to treat 2.9 million acutely malnourished children and pregnant women, representing a significant increase from 2.2 million in 2023. The organization vaccinated 704,002 children against measles and treated 272,791 children for severe wasting in the first half of 2024.

Health care access has expanded significantly with 11.6 million people receiving primary health care services by 2023, up from 7.9 million in 2021. This is driven by the increase in humanitarian health facilities from 422 in January 2022 to 908 in December 2023.

International Commitment Drives Innovation

Major international donors maintained their commitment despite global economic challenges. The United States provided $280 million to WFP in 2024 through USAID, enabling the organization to support more than 3 million people with life-saving food assistance. The United Kingdom reached 2,715,000 people with humanitarian assistance, including water and sanitation, food, nutrition, health and cash transfers between April 2024 and March 2025.

The transformation occurring across Afghanistan proves that even in the world’s most challenging environments, coordinated humanitarian action can deliver extraordinary results. Through innovative programming, local partnerships and sustained international commitment, organizations are building foundations for long-term recovery while showing that with creativity, dedication and adequate resources, no community is beyond help. However, severe funding gaps remain, with only 31.4% of the required $3.06 billion received by October 2024.

Despite these challenges, the fact that humanitarian organizations reached 22.4 million people in 2024 demonstrates what is possible when the international community works together to address the crisis of being poor in Afghanistan.

– Jawad Noori

Jawad is based in London, UK, and focuses on Technology and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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Pregnancy Crisis in Gaza

Pregnancy Crisis in Gaza

A lack of access to food, water, medical care and safety has brought on the pregnancy crisis in Gaza. Since October 7, 2023, thousands of women have been at risk in every stage, including during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. Hospitals along the Gaza Strip, including in its biggest cities like Rafah and Khan Younis, have been facing severe bombings and shortages of every kind, from fuel to food to trained medical staff. The ongoing pregnancy crisis in Gaza has made carrying a healthy pregnancy to term nearly impossible.

International humanitarian organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, the United Nations (U.N.), Project HOPE and many more have aided women in Gaza. However, they are currently facing difficulties due to a blockade. Without the necessary aid, thousands of pregnant women in Gaza are at risk of starvation, infection and complications.

Facts About the Pregnancy Crisis in Gaza

  1. There are an estimated 55,000 pregnant women in Gaza, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Approximately 11,000 of those women are at risk of famine. One in three pregnancies is now considered high risk. One in five babies is born prematurely or underweight. It is estimated that 17,000 pregnant women will need to be treated for malnutrition within the following year.
  2. Postpartum hemorrhage is one of the leading causes of death among pregnant women in Gaza. Due to a lack of accessible medical care, most pregnant women do not receive prenatal checkups, which are essential for monitoring the health of both the fetus and the mother. Without access to the care they need, expectant mothers in Gaza are unable to detect conditions like preeclampsia and eclampsia, both of which can lead to postpartum hemorrhage.
  3. According to Human Rights Watch, as of January 2025, only seven of the 18 remaining functioning hospitals along the Gaza Strip offer emergency obstetric and newborn care. Out of 11 field hospitals, only four offer obstetric and newborn care. This has led to encampments becoming impromptu birthing centers. These centers lack trained medical personnel and adequate resources to support a healthy birth. Without a secure birthing place available, pregnant women are at risk of severe infection during childbirth.
  4. Since October 7, 2023, the rate of pregnant women miscarrying in Gaza has risen 300%, according to the International Planned Parenthood Foundation. About 15% of pregnant women in Gaza require emergency obstetric care to maintain a healthy pregnancy.
  5. Currently in Gaza, 15% of babies born require intensive care. Recent formula shortages and a lack of adequate food for the expectant mothers have caused that number to increase rapidly. It is estimated that 71,000 children in Gaza will need to be treated for malnutrition within the next 11 months.
  6. Several humanitarian organizations have been doing everything they can to provide aid to the women of Gaza. However, they have been facing difficulties due to a blockade. Within the two months of the ceasefire, UNFPA estimates that it reached 146,000 women and girls with reproductive health services. Project HOPE established three antenatal clinics in Gaza, treating women for malnutrition, hepatitis, miscarriage and other afflictions.

Conclusion

Due to the ongoing war, Gaza’s infrastructure has been destroyed, including the remaining hospitals in Rafah and Khan Younis, further worsening the current pregnancy crisis in Gaza. With support from UNFPA and Project HOPE, the current humanitarian crisis and its effects can be reversed.

– Zoe Alatsas

Zoe is based in Brooklyn, NY, USA and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pexels

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3 NGOs Helping Sudanese Refugees in Chad

Sudanese Refugees in ChadTensions within the military government of Sudan escalated into full-scale civil war in April 2023. The country, which had started recovering and rebuilding after earlier civil wars, now faces a deepening humanitarian crisis as a result of recent conflict. This conflict has triggered mass displacement across Sudan, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes. Most of these displaced people have sought safety in neighboring countries, including Libya, South Sudan and Chad, where they reside in large refugee camps, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency.

Sudanese Refugees in Chad

Among Sudan’s neighboring countries, Chad has taken in the largest number of Sudanese refugees, by a notable margin. Since the outbreak of the Sudan civil war, more than 870,000 refugees have fled to Chad. Libya and South Sudan, the countries hosting the second and third highest number of Sudanese refugees, each host slightly above 300,000 refugees.

Sudanese refugees in Chad typically settle in camps along the country’s eastern border. There, they join thousands of others, some of whom have been living in these camps for nearly 20 years, according to the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. A significant majority of refugees living in these camps are women and children, populations especially vulnerable in a wartime environment.

Refugee camps in Chad shield Sudanese refugees from warfare, yet living conditions within the camps are far from comfortable. Most refugees live in inadequate, makeshift shelters, which often lack necessities such as latrines, according to World Vision. Camps also lack necessary food supplies, meaning a significant number of children suffer from malnutrition.

Family separation is also an issue for many Sudanese refugees in Chad. This, paired with insufficient health care and education services within camps, takes a toll on refugees, especially children. However, multiple nongovernment organizations (NGOs) have committed to helping improve conditions within refugee camps in Chad, fostering hope for thousands of displaced persons. Below are three NGOs committed to helping Sudanese refugees in Chad:

International Medical Corps

The International Medical Corps (IMC) began its work in Chad after the 2004 Darfur genocide, a campaign marked by the indiscriminate killing of thousands of civilians by the Sudanese government and Janjaweed militia. Although operations in Chad were paused by the IMC in 2020, support recommenced in 2023 following the renewed outbreak of violence in Sudan.

IMC response teams now provide critical support to Sudanese refugees in Chad, focusing primarily on nutrition and health care. Nutrition services focus on supporting vulnerable groups, especially children aged less than 5 and pregnant women. In addition to basic health care, IMC programs include maternal and newborn health services, as well as mental health and psychosocial support. These mental health services are often overlooked in crisis settings, yet play an important role in the recovery of displaced persons.

Doctors Without Borders

Doctors Without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), launched a major response to support Sudanese refugees in Chad after fighting resumed in April 2023. As the refugee population continues to grow, MSF has repeatedly scaled up its health care operations to meet increasing needs.

MSF currently provides medical services across several locations in Chad, including Adré, Goungour and Kourfoun. In June, due to an overwhelming amount of Sudanese refugees at the Adré hospital in need of surgical attention, MSF deployed a 200-bed inflatable hospital to help manage patient overflow.

In addition to surgical health care, MSF offers pediatric services, treatment for victims of sexual violence, mental health support and a range of vaccination programs. With the help of Chad’s Ministry of Health, the organizations recently conducted large-scale measles vaccination campaigns. It continued to work to improve routine vaccination programs for Sudanese refugees in Chad.

Jesuit Refugee Services

Due to harsh living conditions and the continuous influx of displaced people, access to quality education remains a major challenge for children in Chad’s refugee camps. Jesuit Refugee Service, the leading NGO in the education sector in these camps, works to make education more accessible for displaced children in Chad.

JRS offers a range of educational services, including preschools, nurseries and primary and secondary education. Thanks to its strong relationship with local authorities and the Minister of Education, JRS has also begun integrating camp-based schools into the Chadian public education system.

Collaborations between JRS and Chad’s University of Abéché have created opportunities for refugee students to earn national teacher certifications. This initiative not only provides refugees with access to higher education but also helps foster a new generation of educators to address the shortage of teachers within the camps.

Final Remarks

While conditions remain difficult for Sudanese refugees in Chad, the work of organizations like IMC, MSF and JRS offers critical support and hope. Increased international attention and aid may be essential to meet the growing needs of this vulnerable population.

– Jordan Venell

Jordan is based in Edina, MN, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Addressing Diseases Impacting South Africa

Diseases Impacting South AfricaIn 2023, data that the World Bank published showed that 55% of South Africans as living below the poverty line. Of those South Africans experiencing poverty, a 2023 national study found these citizens were twice as at risk of the communicable disease HIV. For the southernmost nation on the African continent, existing diseases are separated into two categories: communicable and non-communicable. Despite easy transmission of communicable diseases, 2019 World Health Organization (WHO) statistics show that non-communicable diseases account for 51% of all national deaths. With high prevalence rates of both infection varieties among those experiencing poverty, the stifling effects of Apartheid policy remain central within the national struggle to curb diseases impacting South Africa.

Communicable Diseases 

The three most prevalent communicable diseases impacting South Africa are malaria, tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS. Malaria mitigation strategies have been largely successful. In line with the 2021 Global Technical Strategy (GTS) for Malaria, WHO found that the number of South Africans at risk dropped to a low 10% of the population that same year. In South Africa, particularly the Kwazulu-Natal district, which contains one of the highest incidence rates of TB around the world, TB impacted 427 of 100,000 people in 2023. Positively, this incidence rate has fallen since 2021, where TB affected 512 per 100,000 citizens.

Following the United Nations (UN) AIDS 95-95-95 target, South Africa has also made promising strides in HIV/AIDS mitigation. Though 2023 figures show that 16.3% of South Africans are living with HIV, screenings and treatment have improved. Striving towards this 95-95-95 UN target, 94% of South Africans living with HIV knew their diagnosis, 79% were receiving treatment and 91% were being virally suppressed in 2021.

Non-Communicable Diseases 

The other half of diseases impacting South Africa are non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, cancer and diabetes. In 2021, the collective incidence rate for these particular NCDs stood at 1,301 per 100,000 people. Obesity, which increases the risk for these NCDs, represents another health indicator impacting South African morbidity. Along with WHO’s other findings, it found that 30.8% of the adult population suffered from obesity in 2022, up from 2021.

Health System

The national healthcare system mainly initiates response to diseases impacting South Africa. The Department of Health’s inadequate health care response is typically pinpointed to policy carried over from the nation’s apartheid era. After the 1994 end to apartheid law, the government faced the ongoing challenge of restructuring the health care system. Despite this, the WHO has projected that 6.2 million citizens should experience universal health coverage by the end of this year. This number represents a steady, sharp increase from 2021 where only 1.8 million retained universal health care access. 

Impact of Poverty 

A 2023 study conducted with support from the South African government articulated that HIV, one of the most nationally prevalent communicable diseases, affects those living in townships twice as severely as those living elsewhere. Townships are South African neighborhoods inhabited primarily by those experiencing poverty. The study found that socioeconomic factors like access to stable housing and quality education do increase the odds of HIV infection and reduce the likelihood of access to testing and care. The researchers recommended a mitigation strategy that includes policy towards improving education and living quality.

Another national study from 2021 asserted that to address the reality of health care inaccessibility due to societal inequities, there needs to be cohesive efforts from multiple actors. The study calls on the necessity of both government and non-state intervention.

Doctors Without Borders

One international organization working diligently against the spread and prevalence of disease in South Africa is Doctors Without Borders (MSF). With the United States currently slashing its funding of South Africa’s TB and HIV/AIDS research programs, MSF has been vital in calling upon international donors, organizations and philanthropists to direct funds towards these life-saving research initiatives. Actors like the South African Department of Health and MSF rely on these funds to help develop promising vaccines and treatments for those experiencing these diseases impacting South Africa.

In addition to MSF’s TB and HIV/AIDS research, where funding is unsteady, it recently introduced a new project aimed at addressing South African NCDs. In collaboration with South Africa’s Department of Health, MSF has been training health care organizations across the Eastern Cape province of Butterworth. Reaching more than 1,500 people within the region, the project has increased the screening and medical management of NCDs like diabetes and hypertension.

Progress

Though funding cuts from the United States have caused uncertainty about the future of national research and mitigation response, strides in health care coverage and the involvement of organizations like the MSF are promising for the future of eliminating the diseases impacting South Africa. National initiatives for screening and improvements in treatment technologies have greatly improved and have been key in addressing and reducing incidence rates, particularly for the highly prevalent TB. In 2019 alone, testing for TB caused a 28% reduction in incidence.

With organizations and donors allocating funds towards national efforts to fight disease, South Africa will further mitigate the spread and prevalence of such harmful illnesses, particularly for those living in poverty.

– Piper Aweeka

Piper is based in Reno, NV, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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USAID Programs in Thailand and Myanmar After Earthquake

USAID Programs in ThailandDisplaced persons seeking refuge in Thailand following a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar in March are amongst those facing dwindling American assistance after the United States federal government initiated drastic reductions to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) programs in Thailand, Myanmar and other countries in need of humanitarian aid. While non-government organizations (NGOs) are working diligently to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the second-largest recorded earthquake in Southeast Asia and its hundreds of aftershocks, USAID’s absence is noticeable in the region. 

USAID Cuts Coincide With Devastation in Asia

Myanmar state media reported that, as of April 19, the earthquake killed more than 3,700 people and injured 5,100 in the country, with 114 residents still missing. Thai newspaper Khaosod reported that, as of April 29, 66 people had died, 28 people were missing and nine people were injured.

Refugees from the ongoing civil war in Myanmar have relied on humanitarian assistance and medical care in neighboring Thailand for decades. USAID programs in Thailand bolstered the assistance Thai hospitals could provide those in need. Before the earthquake in Myanmar occurred, the Border Consortium aid group reported that many Thai hospitals helping around 100,000 refugees from Myanmar had to close following cuts to USAID in late February.

On March 28, the region experienced “a level of devastation that has not been seen in over a century in Asia,” according to Marie Manrique, the acting head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Myanmar. The same day, The U.S. State Department formally notified Congress that it was moving to dissolve USAID.

The Results of USAID Cuts

The earthquake’s epicenter was in Myanmar’s second-largest city, Mandalay; however, 600 miles away, in the Thai capital city of Bangkok, residents felt widespread shaking and saw significant damage to infrastructure, including a skyscraper that collapsed when it was under construction.

While USAID cuts have backtracked in recent weeks due to pushback from Americans and the country’s federal agencies, aid workers report that, with thousands of residents remaining homeless in Mandalay after the destruction, U.S. assistance is lacking.

“The United States only sent a paltry amount of assistance…it sent only three workers, which then, subsequently, were fired,” Francisco Bencosome, a former USAID worker, said. Some workers were notified of their termination while in the earthquake’s disaster zone.

The ongoing poverty crisis in Myanmar, escalating in recent years due to ongoing civil conflict, saw almost doubled rates from 24.8% in 2017 to 49.7% in 2023. In the beginning of 2025, around 19.9 million people, or about 35% of the country’s population, were in dire need of humanitarian assistance; this included 6.4 million children.

The destruction due to the earthquake in Myanmar has exacerbated existing pervasive poverty conditions, resulting in 4.3 million people lacking basic needs such as shelter, nutrition and clean water.

Solutions

After the reduction of USAID programs in Thailand and Myanmar, NGOs have stepped in to address the earthquake in Myanmar. Here are some examples of NGO efforts in Thailand and Myanmar:

  • The Myanmar Red Cross Society: The Myanmar Red Cross Society and its partners successfully delivered eight charter flights and six cargo shipments of aid into Myanmar within the first week of the earthquake’s aftermath, according to the organization. The IFRC is rapidly mobilizing, adapting and delivering critical aid to the hardest-hit areas. The Myanmar Red Cross Society initiated its Emergency Operations Centers after the earthquake. Additionally, it sent out volunteers to search for and rescue those the earthquake affected, while also sending out teams to connect hospitals and clinics with emergency blood donations.
  • UNICEF: UNICEF is on the ground in Myanmar, working with other aid organizations to meet children’s needs. According to UNICEF, the organization and its partners have delivered emergency water, sanitation and hygiene kits, medical kits and nutrition supplies; UNICEF is also delivering essential health and nutrition services through temporary emergency health facilities and mobile clinics.
  • Doctors Without Borders: Doctors Without Borders deployed medical, mental health, logistics and water and sanitation staff to areas that experienced the earthquake. The organization is working to provide support to hospitals with special focus on sanitation, water, infection control and waste management. It also installed a water filtration system and a water tank at the Mandalay General Hospital.
  • Save the Children: Save the Children has launched a “Children’s Emergency Fund” to support adolescents in Myanmar in need of shelter and other basic needs in the aftermath of the earthquake. Aid workers are responding to the urgent, lifesaving needs of children and their families by providing water, food and health care services.
  • United Nations Humanitarian Crisis Relief (UNHCR): The UNHCR has reported that its team is on the ground responding with other UN agencies by providing “medical care, shelter, safe water, hygiene kits and food,” despite dealing with extremely damaged infrastructure and a lack of telecommunications. As of April 23, UNHCR reported that the organization provided critical aid – including core relief items (CRIs) and emergency shelter materials – to 48,354 people who experienced earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand. CRIs include mattresses, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lamps and cooking essentials kits. On April 15, the city of Yangon received more than 40,000 kg of supplies to help 16,000 people from UNHCR, and there was a promise of more supplies in the following weeks.

Looking Ahead

Though USAID downsizes have immobilized necessary American federal assistance in Myanmar and Thailand following the historic earthquake in Myanmar, other aid organizations are using donor funding to make effective strides in alleviating poverty conditions and the ongoing refugee crisis.

– Erin Hellhake

Erin is based in Old Bridge, NJ, USA and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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5 Organizations Helping To Rebuild Myanmar After the Earthquake 

Myanmar After the EarthquakeOn March 28, one of the largest earthquakes to hit Myanmar at a 7.7 magnitude disrupted the daily lives of millions. Twelve minutes after the first earthquake struck, a second earthquake that was 6.4 in magnitude hit Myanmar, compounding the damage already done. Thousands have died, and even more have been injured. 

Military forces control the majority of the territory and some opposing forces, such as the National Unity Government’s People’s Defense Force, have said they would pause all military action in affected areas. Because of the conflict, getting outside aid into the country is not simple. However, this has not stopped several organizations from taking action and bringing aid to the millions in need. Here are five organizations helping to rebuild Myanmar after the earthquake. 

Project HOPE

This organization specializes in global health and works on the ground with local representatives to bring health care aid to countries around the globe. After the Myanmar Earthquake, Project HOPE worked with one of its partners, SAMU, to put mobile medical teams on standby if needed by the government. However, they have already deployed two mobile units with the help of another partner, Community Partners International, which is connecting people in need with medical assistance. 

When a disaster like this occurs, a significant issue many may not think about is the logistics of how life-saving aid is going to make its way into affected areas. Project HOPE’s response team in Yangon is addressing just that, as they are working out supply chain routes that can help aid organizations connect with local communities and bring essentials such as food, clean drinking water, and hygiene kits into affected areas.

Save The Children

This organization focuses on every aspect of an impoverished child’s life and ways to improve it. As children are some of the most vulnerable after the devastating earthquake, Save the Children mobilized 10 on-the-ground teams of around eighty staff members in various fields to help render aid to more than 91,000 people thus far. 

Save The Children understands the need to provide specific care for children that is often overlooked. This is why they have established safe spaces for children in affected areas to play, learn and receive mental health support. Many schools have sustained structural damage after the earthquake and subsequent aftershocks, leaving many children no place to continue their education. Save The Children is working with local organizations and partners to evaluate how they can rebuild and repair these essential spaces.

International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC)

As the largest humanitarian network in the world, the IFRC has unprecedented access to getting fast aid into countries after a disaster strikes. It immediately coordinated with the Myanmar Red Cross Society to establish mobile health clinics to assist with overwhelmed hospitals. As access to working plumbing and clean drinking water is extremely limited in many of the hardest hit areas, they have also been working to distribute water purification and hygiene kits to help ease this burden. 

International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Following the earthquake in Myanmar, the IRC quickly realized hospitals were becoming increasingly overcrowded and that there were not enough workers to go around. To help ease the workload of the hospitals and get help to those unable to reach a treatment center, it mobilized health teams to coordinate with local authorities and started administering medicines and aid to those in need. 

Doctors Without Borders

Founded in 1971 by doctors and journalists, Doctors Without Borders has worked for years to provide impartial medical aid to those in crises. The organization was quick to step in after the 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, providing the highly affected areas with skilled staff members not only in medicine but also sanitation, water, and logistics. 

With how large the impact zones are and how many were affected, Doctors Without Borders sees their current limitations and is pushing for a larger “scale-up” of aid within the country. They are communicating and working with the country’s Ministry of Health to ensure more help is being provided in hard-to-reach areas that have lost contact with officials because of blackouts. 

Looking Forward 

Even before the earthquake struck Myanmar, millions were already in need of humanitarian support. This natural disaster only worsened these conditions and put millions more in need of assistance. These organizations are helping to administer life-saving aid to a country in a state of emergency by providing essential resources, medical services, and labor forces.  

– Collier Simpson

Collier is based in Savannah, GA, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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5 Charities Operating in Libya 

Charities Operating in Libya
Libya has been embroiled in conflict for more than a decade, leaving millions of its citizens in poverty. The ongoing violence has crippled the economy, with limited access to essential services like food, clean water and health care. The World Bank estimates that more than 1.3 million Libyans live in poverty, struggling to meet basic needs, as of 2017. Economic instability, food shortages and inflation have worsened living conditions for those already vulnerable. Many families rely on humanitarian aid for survival, while education and job opportunities remain scarce, particularly in rural areas. Poverty in Libya is not just a lack of resources but a consequence of enduring instability and the breakdown of social and economic systems. In response, several charities are operating in Libya to alleviate poverty and create long-term solutions.

Organizations like the Libyan Red Crescent and WeWorld-GVC focus on providing immediate relief through food, medical assistance and shelter, while also investing in sustainable development projects. These efforts aim to rebuild infrastructure, improve access to clean water and health care and offer educational opportunities. By addressing both immediate and underlying issues, these organizations are working to uplift communities and restore hope for a stable future. Here are five charities operating in Libya.

Libyan Red Crescent

The Libyan Red Crescent (LRC) provides essential health care, emergency relief and psychosocial support throughout Libya. The LRC has been instrumental in responding to natural disasters such as floods and droughts, providing clean water and sanitation services to prevent disease outbreaks like cholera, benefiting many Libyans.

LRC’s collaboration with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) amplified their efforts. This partnership has allowed for broader outreach through health and hygiene awareness campaigns, particularly aimed at reducing waterborne diseases. These efforts ensure that Libyans receive the support they need to survive during times of conflict and crisis.

WeWorld-GVC

WeWorld-GVC (WW-GVC) is focusing on addressing Libya’s crumbling water infrastructure. The civil war has damaged much of the water supply, leaving many without access to clean drinking water. WW-GVC has repaired and restored water treatment plants and wells, providing safe water to more than 60,000 Libyans. This effort has drastically reduced the spread of diseases that contaminated water causes, such as cholera and dysentery.

In addition to physical infrastructure, WW-GVC is educating communities on hygiene practices. Its hygiene awareness programs have reached more than 20,000 Libyans, providing essential knowledge that has contributed to better public health. Its work ensures that vulnerable populations in conflict zones receive life-saving resources.

Doctors Without Borders

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has been at the forefront of medical aid in Libya, particularly for refugees and migrants in detention centers and conflict zones. MSF provides mobile medical clinics, which offer essential health care, including maternal services and treatment for chronic diseases.

MSF has been crucial in providing medical aid to those who are most vulnerable, especially refugees living in detention centers, where medical services are nearly non-existent. Its mental health services also help individuals cope with the long-term psychological effects of conflict and displacement.

Tawergha Foundation

The Tawergha Foundation focuses on helping displaced families from the Tawergha minority, many of whom were forced to flee during the civil war. Tawergha Foundation promotes employment and educational services to these families, providing financial support and training. The organization has also helped shine a light on the plight of the Tawergha people through activism and awareness campaigns.

Tawergha Foundation’s main goal is the resettlement of the Tawergha people, as well as this however, they are focusing on long-term development. The organization works with local authorities and international companies such as Microsoft and Samsung to secure resources, infrastructure and skills helping displaced Libyans begin rebuilding their lives.

The National Democratic Institution

The National Democratic Institution (NDI) is working to equip the nation’s youth with the skills necessary to contribute to Libya’s recovery. Through programs focused on promoting peace through art, advocating for the rights of people with disabilities, supporting environmental protection and combating bullying in schools, NDI has reached many young Libyans. These initiatives aim to develop leadership and community-building skills that will be essential in rebuilding Libya’s infrastructure and promoting peace.

NDI’’s focus on youth empowerment serves as a crucial investment in Libya’s future. By offering projects aimed to empower young people to make a positive impact on their communities, the organization is ensuring that young Libyans prepare to lead the country toward stability and prosperity.

Conclusion

The ongoing conflict in Libya causes immense suffering, but the charities operating in Libya like the Libyan Red Crescent, WeWorld-GVC, Doctors Without Borders, the Tawergha Community Association and the Libya Youth Forum are bringing hope to millions. Through efforts in health care, clean water access, education and support for displaced families, these organizations are making a meaningful impact. Their work helps address Libya’s immediate needs while laying the foundations for long-term recovery and stability.

– Harriet Conway

Harriet is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr