What is Humanitarian Aid?
Humanitarian aid is assistance provided both throughout and in the aftermath of emergencies such as flood, earthquake, famine, and conflict. Such aid is intended to save lives and alleviate human suffering. Humanitarian aid is short-term in nature as it is a response to an emergency situation, whereas other forms of assistance such as self-sustainable development occur over a longer period with more long term objectives.
Christian Children’s Fund of Canada (CCFC) offers humanitarian aid in times of crisis and disaster in the countries where we work, including Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Nicaragua, Paraguay, and Tanzania. In 2011, The Horn of Africa region faced one of its worst droughts in more than 60 years, resulting in massive crop failures and hunger. CCFC responded by assisting and providing aid to the people of Ethiopia - including the children and families in communities where we operate with our partners on a daily basis.
How you can help
Our urgent appeals section provides a list of regions around the world that are in urgent need of humanitarian aid. Donors are able to make a donation directly to the urgent appeal, or a specific program of your choice. CCFC’s programs and finances are managed by highly skilled and experienced professionals, and our reliability is evident in the results we achieve year after year. Integrity and transparency are essential to the way CCFC works as an organization.
Some examples of CCFC Humanitarian Aid:
August 2011: Global Food Crisis
Funds were raised for humanitarian aid in Ethiopia during the devastating drought. The Horn of Africa region faced one of its worst droughts in more than 60 years, leaving approximately 4.5 million people in Ethiopia in immediate need of food, water, blankets, and shelter. CCFC supporters provided emergency rations and food provisions to children and families living in desperate need.
April 2011: Earthquake in Japan
The 8.9-magnitude earthquake and the devastating tsunami that followed left thousands of Japanese families and children displaced and homeless. CCFC collected donations to provide assistance through our ChildFund Alliance partner, ChildFund Japan, to provide food, water, blankets, and shelter at this critical time.
January 2010: Earthquake in Haiti
The Caribbean island of Haiti was already struggling with political violence and poverty when a powerful earthquake struck. Thousands of people including many children were killed in this devastating earthquake. CCFC joined forces with a partner on the ground in Haiti and collected donations for earthquake victims.
March 2008 : Flood in India
In 2008 a devastating flood in Tamil Nadu, India displaced children, their families, and communities. Our Country Director in India Valmurugan Muniyasamy kept in constant contact with us by cell phone with updates on the damage. We collected donations for desperately needed humanitarian aid in the forms emergency shelter, food, water, and medicines.