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:

• Emergency shelter and non-food items (NFIs): Dorcas will distribute emergency shelter kits and essential NFIs to 312 households, providing immediate support to those who have lost their homes and belongings.
• Flood resilience infrastructure: Using a cash-for-work approach, Dorcas will engage local communities in the construction of gabions, protective walls, and water channels to mitigate the impact of future floods. This initiative aims to strengthen the resilience of affected areas and protect critical infrastructure.
• WASH services and hygiene promotion: Dorcas will distribute WASH kits to 312 households and organise hygiene promotion sessions, reaching a total of 1,500 people to help prevent the outbreak of waterborne diseases that often follow such disasters.

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.

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. 

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.

ALMERE/NIJKERK – Eastern Europe lacks a stimulating business climate, hindering entrepreneurs in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from developing their businesses. Obtaining loans is complex and very costly. Moreover, specific knowledge, such as expertise in export, is not accessible to smaller entrepreneurs. These factors prevent otherwise successful companies from growing into solid SME enterprises. The Dutch foundations Dorcas and Kom over en help aim to offer entrepreneurs a new growth perspective through the investment company SharInvest, which they have jointly established.

SharInvest connects investors in the Netherlands with entrepreneurs in Eastern Europe. This initiative focuses not on startups but on established companies with growth potential. This growth aligns a healthy financial return with social impact. To qualify for an investment from SharInvest, companies must demonstrably contribute positively to the local community, for example, by creating jobs for people with fewer employment prospects. Investors in the Netherlands provide not only financial input but also knowledge and access to their networks to Eastern European entrepreneurs.

SharInvest offers Dutch investors a return that consists of social impact on local communities and a modest financial return. Dorcas and Kom over en help, the initiators, have been active in Eastern Europe for decades and possess extensive knowledge of the local (business) culture and social structure. Both foundations also have a large network and contacts with local churches, social organisations, and governments.

Several Dutch entrepreneurs are involved in the establishment of SharInvest. Over the coming years, the investment company aims to grow significantly to give a positive boost to local communities and increase the self-reliance of individuals. Investing in SharInvest is possible starting from €100,000.

About SharInvest

SharInvest invests in local small and medium-sized enterprises in emerging countries in Eastern Europe. The investment company is a driving force behind growth and sustainability by contributing to access to finance, knowledge, markets, and relevant networks. Through this, SharInvest invests in tangible and sustainable impact in Eastern Europe.

The newly formed Dutch government presented the coalition agreement which show significant budgetary cuts within development cooperation. The overall budget will be cut by 2.4 billion euros annually. This means a reduction of no less than 30 per cent of the current development cooperation budget. 

This decision will make it more difficult to support people in need. Dorcas is therefore disappointed in the result of the negotiations between the new government parties. A large portion of the budget has already been laid down in various multilateral treaties, leaving much less financial means for the work of organisations such as Dorcas. 

This disappointing news does not mean that we will give up. Together, we work hard to continuously support those in need. 

The current conflict in southern Lebanon is the latest in the country’s long list of crises. It is further eroding the weak economy, undermining food security and increasing the strain on basic health services. The worsening socioeconomic situation is sending more people into poverty, fuelling a growing need for humanitarian assistance. However, the geopolitical nature of the conflict and cuts in humanitarian funding from the UN are making it harder to meet people’s basic needs. The Lebanon Humanitarian INGO Forum recently published an urgent plea for the cessation of hostilities in Southern Lebanon, as these are exacerbating the country’s growing humanitarian needs. Dorcas is seeking what role it should play in this rapidly developing and sensitive situation.

Current situation in Southern Lebanon

Over 90,000 people have been displaced so far from southern Lebanon (mostly women and children), some 60,000 remain in the conflict zone, and more than 50 civilians have been killed. Medical facilities have been hit, and damage to water infrastructure has affected water supplies to over 100,000 residents in the South and Nabatieh governorates. Many schools have closed and so 20,000 children cannot continue their education. And almost 2,000 hectares of farmland have been destroyed by fires as a result of shelling, resulting in a loss of income for farmers and further harm to food supplies.

Impact on the work of Dorcas

Dorcas continues its long-established programmes to support Lebanese, Palestinian, Syrian, and migrant worker populations with psychosocial and legal support, school meals and educational support for children, and support to improve income stability. The conflict in Southern Lebanon has not yet impacted these programmes directly but that could change if rising humanitarian needs in the country call for different priorities to be set. Then Dorcas needs additional funding to expand its food security and livelihoods programmes. However, so far, and at the request of the Lebanese authorities, Dorcas has responded to the needs of displaced people from Southern Lebanon by providing food, blankets and mattresses. Dorcas is well-equipped to scale up such specific efforts should the need arise.

Growing and changing humanitarian challenges

The food insecurity crisis in Lebanon is growing. According to an IPC analysis, at least 21 per cent of the population will experience high food insecurity from April to September 2024, increasing the need for food assistance. Unemployment continues to rise, and over 60 per cent of people who have jobs work in the informal economy, where job security is low. Therefore, the need for cash assistance and livelihood support is set to grow. The healthcare situation in Lebanon is dire. Government spending on healthcare has decreased significantly, and the Lebanese pound’s devaluation has rendered the allocated funds almost worthless. Medicines are in short supply and their costs are soaring. Therefore, trying to meet the need for free or low-cost medicines for an increasingly impoverished population with a rising number of patients is an immense challenge.

These humanitarian challenges on the ground are compounded by actual and potential funding cuts. For example, the World Food Program reduced cash assistance to Syrian refugees by 30 per cent and discontinued in-kind food assistance to 33 per cent of assisted Lebanese households. The situation for the estimated 200,000-250,000 Palestinian refugees in Lebanon – most of whom are there as a result of previous conflicts – is particularly precarious. If current UN programmes in education, healthcare, and social safety net assistance stop, a huge humanitarian gap will arise that will be hard to fill. Although INGOs could step into such a gap, the process of transferring the entire responsibility for the Palestinian population across many different organisations would take time and be detrimental to the well-being of Palestinian refugees who rely on these services. Furthermore, the burden of these responsibilities could also have a negative impact on the existing programmes of the organisations concerned.

Dorcas role in the coming months

Dorcas will carefully monitor this funding situation so that in consultation with other INGOs and the Lebanese authorities, it can take appropriate action should the need arise. However, for now, our focus is prioritising food security for the most vulnerable.

Plea for the cessation of hostilities in Southern Lebanon as growing humanitarian needs are further exacerbated: Humanitarian organisation are urgently calling for an end to hostilities in Southern Lebanon. Six months of violence have displaced many people, resulting in severe disruptions to education and healthcare and more people depending on assistance. The financial implications are immense, at a time when the country was just emerging from its worst economic crisis in decades. Despite challenges, humanitarian organisations remain committed to providing assistance to those in need.

In response to the escalating humanitarian crisis in Yemen, Dorcas Yemen has signed a petition urging the international community to amplify its support for the conflict-torn country. The petition, initiated by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), highlights the urgent need for enhanced funding and assistance as Yemen grapples with severe economic downturn, exacerbated by years of conflict.

Yemen, already one of the poorest countries in the Middle East, is facing an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. The economic downturn, now in its ninth year, has plunged millions of people deeper into poverty, pushing them to the brink of survival. The situation has been worsened by widespread food insecurity, with millions of Yemenis struggling to access basic necessities.

The ongoing conflict has led to the displacement of millions of people, with families forced to flee their homes in search of safety and shelter. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) face dire living conditions, lacking access to adequate healthcare, clean water and education.

Against this backdrop, Dorcas Yemen has joined forces with other humanitarian organisations to call for increased funding and support from the international community. Dorcas emphasises the critical importance of addressing the root causes of the crisis and providing immediate assistance to those in need.

The effects of the ongoing conflict continue to devastate Yemen, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence and instability. As the situation worsens, the need for urgent action becomes ever more pressing.

Dorcas Yemen’s involvement in this petition reflects its unwavering commitment to alleviating the suffering of communities in vulnerable situations and advocating for sustainable solutions to humanitarian crises. We urge the international community to heed this call for increased support and solidarity with the people of Yemen during their time of dire need.

Several targets in Yemen have been bombed in recent weeks in response to Houthi attacks in and around the Red Sea. At this time, Dorcas Yemen staff, our partners’ staff and our project participants are safe. Although our team is safe, staff are still very concerned for the people of Yemen, who were already in a very difficult situation. Despite these challenging developments, they continue to work tirelessly to support those in need.

The impact of the security threat in the Red Sea is already being felt by humanitarian actors, with disruptions to trade pushing up prices and causing delays in the delivery of life-saving supplies. Shortages and increased costs of basic commodities such as food and fuel will only exacerbate an already dire economic crisis, increase aid dependency and increase protection risks. All actors have a legal obligation to ensure the safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance so that people in need can access these services. If the current situation worsens, there is also the possibility of large movements of internally displaced people in the region. If this is the case, we will reassess what action needs to be taken.

International Humanitarian Law provides vital guidance and boundaries during war and conflict. But what exactly does this body of law entail and does Dorcas need to adhere to it? We explore the importance of international humanitarian law through four questions and answers.

What is International Humanitarian Law?
International Humanitarian Law, also known as the laws of armed conflict, has been established to safeguard human dignity during wars and conflicts, reduce unnecessary suffering and protect the rights of all parties involved, including civilians and combatants. This means, for example, that civilians, wounded soldiers, and even prisoners of war not participating in the armed conflict must be protected. Additionally, the law prohibits the use of children under fifteen as soldiers and specifies that women and children must be shielded from sexual violence. Furthermore, it provides guidelines on weapons not being deployed when civilians are involved in a situation.

Does this law address aid workers?
Yes, it does because according to the laws of war, humanitarian workers must always have unrestricted movement in a crisis area. Denying them access to such areas is prohibited.

What if parties fail to comply with humanitarian law?
Although the rules of international humanitarian law may seem logical, these are often not adhered to in practice. The legal provisions apply to states and, in principle, nations that violate international humanitarian law can be held accountable for their actions by organisations such as the United Nations or the International Court of Justice. However, independent investigators often face difficulties accessing areas where conflict or war is ongoing, making it extremely challenging to obtain the objective information required. Furthermore, although under international humanitarian law, aid workers and convoys must be granted access to war or conflict zones, this does not always happen in practice. And even if various parties exert pressure in such cases, enforcing access remains difficult.

What does humanitarian law mean for an organisation like Dorcas?
Dorcas is an organisation for development and humanitarian assistance that adheres to humanitarian principles and fully supports the provisions of international humanitarian law. Our primary objective is to assist all affected individuals in crisis areas. We remain impartial, neutral and independent, which means that during a conflict, we do not take sides and do not consider a person’s skin colour, political preferences, or which side of the conflict they belong to. Our role as a humanitarian assistance organisation is to identify the person in need and provide assistance under all circumstances.

Recently, the protracted conflict between Israel and the Palestinian territories has escalated. The situation currently remains uncertain. 

We do not work in the affected areas. However, the conflict is exerting an influence on the stability in the Middle East. Since the escalation, tensions have also increased in Lebanon, Syria and Egypt, countries where Dorcas is active. The UN is very concerned that the conflict will spread to Lebanon.

For the time being, our programmes in Lebanon, Syria and Egypt can continue. The current situation does not directly affect our work in these countries. However, we will continue to closely monitor the developments, and if risks for the safety of our colleagues or project participants arise, we will take appropriate action. In Lebanon, we are also collaborating with partners on contingency plans in order to start an immediate response in case of escalation.