Through the course of our work we routinely meet mothers who display stunning selflessness and courage. These women are not just parents — they are also bold leaders, fierce guardians and catalysts for change within their communities. Their spirit is what moves us forward.
Meet a few of the women from around the world whose love and tenacity have left a mark on us in recent years. We hope they inspire you the way they do us.
An estimated 140,000 Syrians now live in the Zaatari refugee camp on the Jordan-Syria border. Mercy Corps’ Lisa Hoashi recently visited the camp, and provides some insight into what everyday life is like there through this photo essay. The photo above is a “cinema tent” set up by Mercy Corps and Unicef, which plays kid-friendly movies every day.
Artist Santiago Uceda created this lovely design just for Mercy Corps, and for a limited time ThreadStart is donating $8 from each item sold to support our work around the world! See more.
A 7.0 earthquake struck China’s Ya’an prefecture in Sichuan on Saturday, killing nearly 200 people and injuring more than 14,000.
We arrived in the hardest-hit Lushan county within 24 hours of the initial quake. We’re working to provide water sanitation supplies and will soon start distributing hygiene kits that include towels, soap, diapers and other necessities.
Our longtime presence in the Sichuan province and local connections will be key to our ability to reach as many people as possible with lifesaving aid in the days and weeks ahead.
Photos: Liu Liangchuan/Mercy Corps
Thank you so much to ThreadStart and artist Santiago Uceda for creating this awesome design just for Mercy Corps! Plus ThreadStart is donating $8 from each purchase to Mercy Corps. Win-win! See more.
Trees have all but disappeared in Haiti; today, less than 2% of the land is forested. The resulting soil erosion leads to devastating landslides, floods and crop failures. Watch this video to find out how we’re helping communities bring their mountains back to life.
A deadly 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck China’s Sichuan province today; our team is on the ground assessing damage & emergency relief needs. Read more.
Photo: Reuters stringer, courtesy Thomson Reuters Foundation - AlertNet
Thirteen-year-old Zeinab arrived at Jordan’s Zaatari refugee camp with family members two months ago. They finally decided to leave Syria after bombings hit as close as their neighbor’s house. Zeinab loves school, and wants to be an agricultural engineer like her father, who is still in Syria.
“I want to return to my country a lot, I want to see my father and relatives, and go back to my school.”
Read Zeinab’s story.
Photos: Sumaya Agha/Mercy Corps
Malala’s on the cover of TIME!
“Malala is now where she wants to be: back in school. The Taliban almost made Malala a martyr; they succeeded in making her a symbol. The memoir she is writing to raise awareness about the 61 million children around the world who are not in school indicates she accepts that unasked-for responsibility as a synonym for courage and a champion for girls everywhere. However Malala concludes her book, her story so far is only just beginning.”
- Chelsea Clinton
So deserved.
After decades of responding to emergencies around the world, we’ve seen that kids are often the most vulnerable in times of crisis.
For parents trying to help children process what happened in Boston on Monday, we hope you’ll find support in these ten tips from the clinical psychologist who helped develop our Comfort for Kids program.
Photo: Reuters/Shannon Stapleton, courtesy Thomson Reuters Foundation - AlertNet
