Dorcas Yemen has launched a rapid response initiative following devastating floods that have severely impacted several regions, including Alshimayatain district in Taiz Governorate, where Dorcas Yemen operates. The floods, which began on 28 July due to heavy rains and seasonal weather patterns, also triggered landslides, further worsening Yemen’s already dire humanitarian situation and leading to widespread destruction.

At least seven governorates across the north and south of the country have been affected, covering an estimated area of 15,000 square kilometres. The floods have destroyed crops and other agricultural assets, leaving over 10,000 people facing severe food insecurity.

In response to these urgent needs, Dorcas Yemen has allocated €100,000 to provide immediate assistance to the affected communities. The response will focus on three key areas:

Dorcas Yemen is working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in Taiz Governorate, as well as with local community leaders and humanitarian clusters, to ensure that the response is tailored to the needs of the affected population. This collaborative approach will maximise the impact of the assistance efforts and ensure accountability to the communities we serve. Together, we are committed to bringing hope and support to those in need during these challenging times.

In Kajiado South, Kenya, the Ilaramatak Esukuta Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA), a women’s savings group comprising 38 women, is a symbol of hope and resilience. This group is one of 30 VSLAs supported by Dorcas Kenya through the Loitoktok Future for Children project in partnership with Shokut Naretoi community programme organisation. The project uses the Dorcas Future for Children approach, which focuses on life skills for children and parents, household strengthening, community child protection and advocacy for improved government child protection policies.

The project reaches 235 households, identified through a community-led participatory process and grouped by geographical location to facilitate training and follow-up. These households have been through six consecutive failed rainy seasons from October 2020 to December 2023, resulting in devastating drought conditions across the Horn of Africa. The impact has been severe, leading to livestock losses, food insecurity and reduced access to education and healthcare for many families.

An integrated approach to empowerment

The process began with training in positive parenting, where parents learned essential skills such as communicating clearly and becoming role models for their children. Households were also trained in entrepreneurship, smart agriculture, financial literacy and child rights and protection. These small groups eventually evolved into VSLAs, with the Ilaramatak Esukuta VSLA being the first to be trained and officially formed on 24 March 2021.

Initially consisting of 38 women, 15% of whom were subsistence farmers, petty traders or casual labourers, and 60% of whom were housewives or unemployed, the group faced significant economic challenges. However, their determination and the training they received paid off. From May 2021 to May 2022, the group saved a substantial amount, issued numerous loans, and made a considerable profit. In their second cycle, the group saved a larger amount and made an even greater profit from loans.

The financial success of the group has been transformational. Members have gained confidence in managing their finances and many have opened personal bank accounts, further increasing their financial independence.

Impact beyond finance

The Ilaramatak Esukuta VSLA has promoted social growth and economic empowerment among its members. Business growth within the group has had a positive ripple effect, with their children attending school more regularly, leading to better learning outcomes. The group’s culture of savings and financial management has also deepened, with members consistently saving a notable amount per week.

Together, the group invested in a 100-seat tent and 100 plastic chairs, which they rent out for social events. This income-generating activity (IGA) has provided additional financial support for members. Individually, members have started or expanded their businesses, attributing their success to the skills they learned through VSLA training. For example, Somoina expanded her charcoal business and now saves a significant amount per week. Through backyard gardening and selling excess vegetables to the community, Katito Elizabeth has improved her family’s nutrition and income.

Mary, the group’s chairperson, describes how VSLA’s leadership training transformed her from a shy person to a confident leader: ‘Before joining the VSLA, I was a very shy person, someone who avoided speaking in public or taking on leadership roles. But through the leadership training, I started to build my self-esteem and believe in my abilities. It was a gradual process, but eventually I found myself taking on the role of chairperson for our group. At 57 years old, I never imagined I would be a leader, let alone one who could speak confidently and resolve conflicts within a group. This experience has opened my eyes to my potential and I now believe that I can aspire to any position within the group or in the wider community. The transformation has been incredible and has given me a sense of purpose and confidence that I never had before.’

As the Ilaramatak Esukuta VSLA enters its third cycle, all of the original members remain active. The group now plans to support members without IGAs to set up their own, and they are looking to buy another tent to increase their income.

Ilaramatak Esukuta’s story of resilience, empowerment and hope is a reflection of Dorcas’ Future for Children’s profound impact in transforming lives and communities.

Dorcas Kenya has successfully completed the Siaya Water and Sanitation Project, enhancing sustainable access to clean drinking water and improving sanitation facilities in Siaya County.

The project is funded by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency in partnership with the County Government of Siaya, Maji Milele, and North Gem. The initiative focused on the rural population, which constitutes 89% of the county’s residents, of whom only 36% had access to clean water before the project. 

Through the rehabilitation and augmentation of four water schemes, we have significantly improved water access, reaching 115,358 people with clean drinking water, 91,295 of whom regularly use the water facilities. Households with individual connections now consume an average of 30 litres per day, translating to 5 litres per person, while those relying on communal water points consume 16 litres per day, or 2.7 litres per person. Individual connections significantly enhance daily water availability and contribute to improved health and hygiene compared to communal water points. 

In terms of sanitation, the project has made notable progress. Before the project, only 49% of the population had access to improved sanitation facilities, with 20% practising open defecation and 31% using unimproved toilet facilities. Now, 92,727 people have access to improved sanitation facilities. Our efforts also focused on sanitation marketing, helping the community improve their sanitation practices following the declaration of Siaya County as open defecation free (ODF). 

Training and employment have been key components of this project. We trained 166 change agents who reached 64,395 people with awareness programmes. Women now make up 36.7% of the leadership within the Schemes Supervisory Boards. Out of 225 direct jobs created, 119 were filled by women, and 38 out of 68 entrepreneurs engaged in WASH-related products are women. 

Support for highly marginalised groups has been a priority, with 1,967 individuals receiving 60 litres of water per household per day free of charge and 504 households provided with improved sanitation facilities. 

This project represents a significant advance towards achieving SDG 6 and ensuring that everyone has access to clean water and proper sanitation. Our End Time Evaluation (ETE) suggests that we should increase facilities, such as equipment for moulding and shaping materials, which artisans use to create or repair items and adopt a market-based approach to improve sanitation. We are dedicated to building on these achievements to ensure long-lasting benefits for the community. 

Human trafficking is one of the most pressing social issues in Romania, one of the top five EU countries in terms of victims. Dorcas Romania is tackling this pressing issue through a comprehensive project focusing on key areas: awareness raising and prevention, building and strengthening partnerships with stakeholders, handling direct cases and reducing the vulnerability of young people at risk.

Trafficking in persons in Romania 

Romania’s geographical location and socio-economic challenges make it a prime location for human trafficking. The main destinations for Romanian victims of trafficking include Italy, France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. Exploitation takes place in various sectors, including prostitution, agriculture, construction and domestic work. Children make up more than a third of identified trafficked persons in Romania. The recruitment of children for trafficking has increased through the internet and social media.

Traffickers in Romania are largely Romanian nationals operating as part of organised crime groups. Their exploitation of Romanian women and children is mainly in the form of sex trafficking within Romania and to other European countries. Traffickers often lure victims with the promise of a better life abroad by using the ‘lover boy’ strategy, in which they feign romantic interest.

Several factors contribute to the extent of human trafficking in Romania:

Dorcas Romania’s anti-trafficking programme 

Working in the at-risk regions of Vaslui, Botoșani, and Bihor, Dorcas Romania has developed a multi-faceted programme with a focus on: 

Elena’s* journey 

Elena’s story illustrates the impact of Dorcas Romania’s efforts. Growing up in a financially unstable and abusive household, Elena’s life was full of challenges. When she was 18, her parents’ separation led her to Oradea, where she was forced into prostitution. Despite her attempts to escape, financial pressure and abusive relationships trapped her in a cycle of exploitation.

Elena’s turning point came when she reached out to her mother for help and eventually connected with Dorcas Romania through the intervention of a counsellor named Cristina. This connection provided Elena with the emotional and practical support she needed to rebuild her life. 

With the support of the project, Elena secured a job and received support for her recovery. Reflecting on her journey, Elena says, ‘After 28 years, I can finally say that my life has meaning now. I am truly happy and content, surrounded by the love and prayers of my family and co-workers.’ 

For those in need 

Dorcas Romania’s anti-trafficking project is an example of a holistic and multi-faceted approach to a deeply entrenched problem. By addressing the root causes of vulnerability and providing comprehensive support to victims, the project not only rescues individuals but also empowers communities. As Elena’s story shows, with the right support and opportunities, the road to recovery is possible.

The scale of the challenges posed by human trafficking in Romania is considerable and requires all stakeholders and partners to play their part. Together with local, regional and national stakeholders, Dorcas Romania is committed to this issue and will continue to fight human trafficking to support those in need.

*Not her real name. At the participants request, we have used a pseudonym for this contribution. 

This year, with the support of World Vision International, the Dorcas Ukraine team is actively implementing a project to train IDPs and affected people in Transcarpathia in entrepreneurial skills. This is a unique opportunity for people from remote areas and the big city to learn a new trade or improve their skills to start their own business.

Many people who moved from eastern Ukraine worked in factories or had technical jobs, but when they arrived in Zakarpattia Oblast they were unable to find work. A significant number of families are left without a breadwinner because the men are defending the country. That is why we target single mothers, members of large families, people supporting a relative with a disability, mothers on maternity leave and other vulnerable groups.

We offer training in various specialities: hairdresser, barber, nail artist, cook, eyebrow artist, make-up artist, seamstress. Students also learn digital skills: UI/UX design, Python, digital marketing, product owner, basic programming, digital design, AI specialist, SMM specialist, software tester, accountant and target analyst. All are relevant and in demand in Ukraine. Support for the development of greenhouse farming will also be offered to local residents. At the end of each course, project participants also receive gift kits to help them start their own businesses. For example, those who learned to be hairdressers received trimmers, scissors and machines. In one case, a girl opened her own salon immediately after graduating and hired classmates she had studied with during the project.

In total, 444 participants have been able to learn a new trade in a variety of areas since the project began, with more planned for the future. By August, the project will have trained more than 500 participants. 117 of those who have already completed their training have either found a job or started their own business.

This programme is not just about training or employment. It is about the adaptation and integration of a population that has been forced to leave everything behind and start their lives from scratch. For example, several men have found work after school and their families have returned from abroad. A son can provide quality care for a seriously ill mother. The mother, who was forced to raise her children on her own, is now a manicurist and is confident about the future. A family in the village with a stable income can now finish building the house of their dreams.

This is just the beginning of the changes that are taking place in the lives of Ukrainians as a result of Dorcas’ work in Ukraine.

Written by: Agnes Kroese, CEO of Dorcas

Of course, I’ve had some sleepless nights over the past few weeks. I would lie staring at the ceiling, feeling a knot in my stomach when thinking about what awaits us with this new cabinet. A minister who has repeatedly made it clear in the past that she is not a fan of supporting people in need. A minister who is no longer responsible for development cooperation but for development aid.

You might think: ‘What’s in a name?’ But even this name change is so telling. Where for years we have worked to move away from the ‘white saviour complex’ and have stood alongside people instead of positioning ourselves above them as a development organisation, the new name clearly signifies a step backwards. ‘Aid’ implies a power dynamic: I am the helper, you are the one in need, and soon the person who needs help is seen as weak and incapable. At Dorcas, we prefer to speak of ‘supporting,’ which is based on the strength of the people themselves. We believe in the wonderful potential that each person has received from God.

It’s not the consequences of cuts in development cooperation that keep me awake at night. We are incredibly grateful for our loyal supporters. Due to their involvement in prayer and financial support, we are not completely dependent on government subsidies. But I worry about the equality of people; I see how it is increasingly at risk. In the choice of a ministerial title, but also closer to home, around me. How people talk about each other, how relationships harden, and opinions are fired at each other like toxic arrows, without seeing the person behind the opinion.

Based on the new minister’s past, you could say that Dorcas has every reason to be suspicious. To feel abandoned as an organisation. Is what we have built over the past years now being undone? Fortunately, it’s not about us as Dorcas. It’s not about a minister and not about a cabinet that does not hold development cooperation in high regard. It’s about fellow human beings in need. Looking back at what has been is not really my thing. Looking out for people in need, wherever they are, is a Biblical command that gets me out of bed every morning. Giving them the tools to realise their own development ignites an energy in me that makes me rise with fresh courage even after a restless night.

Agnes Kroes is CEO of Dorcas. Agnes: ‘I contribute with great dedication to our mission in creating opportunities for people and communities to flourish. One of the ways I do this is through a monthly column in Dutch newspaper Nederlands Dagblad. In this column, I share insights from my professional experience at Dorcas. My aim is to inspire, inform and encourage readers to engage with Dorcas’ initiatives, campaigns, and projects.‘

Edmira (51) lives with her husband and three children in the village of Valbona, Tropoja, Albania. A few years ago, she participated in a project by Dorcas Albania, receiving support in the form of potato seeds. This initial assistance marked the beginning of a transformative journey for her family.

As time passed, Edmira generated a good income from her agricultural efforts. Her husband, a tourist guide, led hikers through the scenic mountains. Recognising the potential of tourism, Edmira and her family decided to convert their home into a guesthouse to accommodate visitors.

With financial support from the TICP Programme, funded by Dorcas and Kom over en help, Edmira was able to apply for a soft loan under the Enterprising People and Communities (EPC) component. This loan enabled her to renovate their house into a guesthouse, aiming to boost the family’s income.

Edmira’s determination to grow her business and develop her entrepreneurial skills was unwavering. The soft loan allowed her to enhance the quality of her guesthouse, improving both service and accommodation for tourists. She also participated in capacity-building activities focused on tourism service quality, management, business planning, and technical assistance.

Today, Edmira is a shining example for other women aspiring to start their own businesses and invest in their communities. Her business is thriving, thanks to the initial support she received. She now mentors other women, offering support and guidance to those who wish to follow in her footsteps.

In her guesthouse, tourists can enjoy comfortable accommodation and delicious meals prepared with organic produce grown by Edmira. Her prices are competitive, and she is dedicated to providing the best service to visitors exploring Valbona and its surroundings. Her husband continues to work as a tourist guide, assisting travellers with their luggage on horseback.

Edmira and her family are deeply grateful for the help they received through the programme, which has enabled them to build a successful business and contribute to their community.

The SMILES programme provides an integrated approach to improve the well-being of people in vulnerable circumstances in Tropoja and Puke, Albania.   

The programme is based on two Dorcas concepts, namely Social Empowerment and Protection (SEP) and Inclusive Entrepreneurship (IE). As such, the social and economic development components of the SMILES programme complement and reinforce each other.  

Tropoja and Puka share similar social and economic conditions, representing an impoverished rural and mountainous area where small-scale farming, livestock rearing and petty trade are among the main livelihood activities. Isolation, lack of government support and limited individual and organisational capacity, among other factors, have maintained a system characterised by semi-subsistence livelihoods based on traditional production methods and low revenues. 

SMILES brings together a variety of actors who will not only benefit from, but also promote and contribute to the development of the local economy and tourism sector in the region, while ensuring that this is a process that is carried and led by the local community itself.  

The intervention deliberately makes links with local people and their various livelihoods so that the whole area benefits, not just a privileged few. The whole process will be supported at the society level by involving actors such as local authorities, MFIs, tourism agencies and specific training institutions. In addition, security networks will be developed for the most marginalised people who struggle to provide for themselves.  

Through SEP, the intervention aims to create the basis for increased cooperation and strong community structures (formal and informal groups and associations) that can play a sustainable role in the local development process. In this respect, the Asset-Based Community Development approach will be instrumental in empowering individuals and groups to identify and make use of existing assets in their communities. As part of the SEP component, Community Safety Nets will be established to take care of the most marginalised people in the community.   

In the SMILES programme, social and economic empowerment go hand in hand, with the Inclusive Entrepreneurship (IE) approach ensuring that participants can take advantage of the various economic opportunities in the target area. This includes capacity building in areas such as business and marketing skills, employability skills, agriculture and livestock skills, but also activities that lead to an enabling environment for entrepreneurship (e.g. improved access to capital, improved infrastructure and simplification of rules and regulations).   

The main target groups of the programme are: 

Small and medium-sized farmers  

Small- and medium-sized farmers want to develop their farms but lack capacity in a number of areas, including business development and management, modern production technologies and marketing skills. They also have limited access to finance to invest in their farms. The intervention will address farmers (including women) through training and mentoring, building on previous experience of the TICP programme. A revolving fund will be established as part of the programme to improve their access to investment capital.   

Small guesthouse owners  

The programme will provide relevant training to guesthouse owners and staff, including business development and management, customer relations, promotion, marketing and gastronomy. It will also offer financial support to develop and expand their businesses.   

Income generation potential  

There are a significant number of families living in poverty who are willing to improve their situation by engaging in income-generating activities. They do not have the material and financial resources, as well as the capacity to carry out income generating activities. The intervention will support urban and rural households to engage in income generating activities. Opportunities to serve the tourism market will be explored, such as the production and marketing of handmade souvenirs.  

Youth and children  

Through the Future for Children approach, youth and children belonging to the above-mentioned households living in poverty will participate in general life skills activities (Aflatoun), parenting and employability programmes. 

Marginalised households   

They have no potential for income generation and are dependent on others for support. Government economic support, which amounts to only about 8,000 ALL, and other social services are not sufficient to meet their needs. Through the establishment of CSNs, the intervention will address the basic needs of approximately 130 families (about 500 family members) by supporting them with material assistance through CSNs, health care/home visits, medicines and hygiene materials.  

Older people   

There is an increasing number of lonely older people, especially from remote rural areas, who have vital needs in terms of access to basic services, especially health services. They do not have the means to cope with this situation on their own. The intervention will facilitate socialisation and access to health and other services through the development of community safety nets (including volunteers and cooperation with the municipality).   

Specialist medical visits will also be facilitated for emergencies. The safety nets will be maintained with the involvement of the municipality, other public institutions, businesses and individuals. The intervention will work towards the institutionalisation of the safety nets through the creation of the Social Impact Committee with representatives of key actors. It will also carry out the “Blue Bucket” campaigns to raise awareness and active participation of the community. 

Last week, the UNCR published it’s annual Global Trends Report highlighting the trends in forced displacement over the past year. By the end of 2023, approximately 117.3 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide, with numbers rising to over 120 million in early 2024. The amount of people who are forcibly displaced has been increasing for twelve consecutive years. From the end of 2022 to the end of 2023, there was an 8 per cent increase, equating to 8.8 million people.

South Sudan

2023 was a year of turmoil, with large-scale conflicts and natural disasters. One of the major conflicts in last year, that led to 6 million people internally displaced and 1.2 million fleeding to neigbouring countries, was the conflict in Sudan. The outbreak of violence forced many to leave their homes. According to the UNHCR, South Sudan now hosts around 330,000 refugees, the majority of whom are from Sudan.

ZOA-Dorcas South Sudan supports people fleeing the violence in Sudan through nitiatives such as the SAFER project. Among them are returnees who previously fled violence in South Sudan during the war and are now fleeing back from Sudan. By providing cash, seeds and tools, the project aims to strengthen them and the host communities. The circumstances these refugees returned to is also still dire, and this project supports them them in rebuilding their lives.

Syria and Lebanon

Almost 60 per cent of all forcibly displaced people are internally displaced, meaning they do not cross a border but remain within their country. Syria has the second-largest number of internally displaced people worldwide: 7.2 million.

2023 was a year of yet another crisis in Syria. After more than a decade of war, the crisis in the country was exacerbated when it was was struck by a major earthquake and extreme aftershocks. Although the international community’s attention briefly focused on Syria after the earthquake, it has since faded into the background.

Dorcas works both in Syria and in Lebanon. Lebanon, one of the neighbouring countries hosting many Syrian refugees, is also in crisis, causing tensions between the Lebanese population and Syrian refugees. Dorcas supports these groups by organising group conversations and training sessions that bring together Syrian refugees and the Lebanese host population to resolve tensions. These sessions focus on intergenerational activities and celebrations that break down barriers, promote tolerance and reject stereotypes, all aimed at reducing conflicts and fostering mutual support systems.

In Syria, we support people in need through various programmes. When the earthquake struck, Dorcas Syria staff immediately began providing humanitarian assistance. You can read more about our work in Syria after the earthquake here:

One year after the earthquake in Syria: How did Dorcas support those in need?

Climate change

Climate change is also negatively affecting the safety of forced displaced people and may increasingly affect the number of displaced people. According to the UNHCR Global Trends Report, nearly 75 per cent of all forcibly displaced people lived in countries with high-to-extreme exposure to climate-related hazards at the end of 2023.

As extreme weather events become more frequent, we expect the number of people displaced by climate-induced events to increase. Therefore, taking both mitigating and adaptive measures to combat climate change and increase climate resilience is a key priority for Dorcas in the coming years. We see the climate refugees and we will not leave them behind.

Read the latest Global Trends Report of the UNHCR here

‘Welcome to my farm’, says a proud 79-year-old Bernard Mutisya. ‘I’m blessed with six daughters and a son, and we have grandchildren too.’ 

‘I used to keep five indigenous cows that each produced two litres of milk per day and I grew some crops like maise. But my crops regularly failed due to severe drought. Then I received commercialised pasture and dairy farming training through the Farmer Field School project. I set aside two hectares of land to use as pasture and I sold the native cows and bought three Ayrshire cows. Our farm expanded thanks to the training and extension options we received, and we started to grow drought-resistant grass and crops for silage’, explains Bernard.

‘Now we have twenty cows: seven lactating cows, four calves and nine heifers’, says Bernard’s wife Philomena. ‘We produce more than 50 litres of milk each day, which we sell to Kitise Farmers’ Cooperative Society’, adds Bernhard as he continues their story.

‘We are grateful to Dorcas for supporting the installation of a mini-processing plant at the cooperative society where the milk is processed into yoghurt and a local dairy product mala. Thanks to the plant, I have a reliable market for my milk and a good income. That means I can now invest more in our dairy business to create opportunities for my children and grandchildren. My dream is a more mechanised farm that can produce homemade supplements, including dairy meal, maise germ and maise bran. And I’d like to have more pasture, improve my dairy breeds and hire a qualified vet’, concludes Bernard enthusiastically.

This impact story was first published in 2023.