Hello!

I'm concerned about the state of Taiwan following Trump's presidency. Does anyone have any information on humanitarian aid groups that would help to protect Taiwanese civilians in case of violent conflict with China?

I feel like this might be a bit of a silly question, especially since I’m aware of the history of U.S. military involvement in many developing countries, but are there any humanitarian aid jobs that actively look for military veterans? I served for four years, didn’t deploy, and now I’m finishing an MS in Sustainable Management. I’m interested in getting into the field, maybe in something like monitoring and evaluation, but I’m open to other entry points as well like volunteering perhaps?Just feeling a little lost right now so I’ll take any advice :-)

Hi everyone, I'm a UK based nurse (pre and post operative care) who has recently dropped out of medical school in my first year as it is not what I want out of a career.

I've always wanted to do humanitarian work in some capacity and want to explore this as nurse. How do I get experience in this field to build my credentials and knowledge base ?

Hi! I have no idea where to find a legit place on the internet to donate to.

I want to donate to a charity that aids in helping people in forced labour, like Temu.

Anyone know of a safe site/charity?

Hello, everyone

I am a Peace Corps volunteer in East Africa.

I have a lot of work experience in behavioral health prior and am in my 30’s. I am really interested in working in MHPSS abroad and aim to obtain an advanced degree toward that goal after Peace Corps.

However, I have a positive dilemma.

The Peace Corps is offering volunteers an opportunity to stay in country for a third year. It is effectively an internship with major NGO like IRC, Save the Children or even USAID.

I am wondering if, among other factors like my age, student loans and time in grad school, it would be a good idea to take the opportunity. I don’t want to close a door that I would never be able to open again, but I don’t have as much time to “find myself” like the rest of these kiddos.

What would you recommend?

EDIT: Oh ok lol. Seems we need to expand the definition of “unanimous.” Thank you for all this feedback and please keep it coming <3 looks like I have some formatting to do on the resume..

I'm currently studying an English degree and thinking about my options for a career at the end of this, I was dead set on becoming a teacher but now I'm unsure. I've always been interested in working with refugees and wondered if an English degree might help with any avenue of this sort of work?

Hello everyone,

I am desperately seeking feedback from professionals, which has been difficult to find... Here is my profile: I have a degree in health/safety/environment (including crisis management, natural disasters, public health) and a general engineering Master (French Diplome d'ingénieur), specialized in project management and construction. I worked for a few years as a project officer in slum/unfit housing, public health, and living conditions for vulnerable and disadvantaged populations.

I am currently training in humanitarian aid through platforms like DisasterReady and Coursera, and through the European Youth Academy.

I don't have any humanitarian field experience, and I find myself questioning the ethical implications of a potential opportunity, which limits me (positively, I think) in my attempts at "volunteering" to strengthen my resume.

I am aiming for a position as a project manager in international deployment, WASH, or Shelter. I know it's very difficult to secure a place in this field, and I fear that despite my specialization and training, my lack of experience may be a major obstacle.

What do you think? How can one gain experience when doors close for a "beginner" profile?

Do you think it's possible to work freelance for NGOs? For those in this situation, how do your first missions go? What do you do when you are stuck on a topic? Because I am well aware that in this field, we cannot afford to learn on the job.

What advice would you give to achieve the goal of working in the humanitarian sector?

Thank you very much for your responses!!

Hello, I am a recent college graduate and I will be starting my masters hopefully soon. I am super interested in humanitarian aid and have been for a long time and I figured this would be a good place to ask some questions and get some advice.

First, I am considering a degree in global affairs, I know there are other degrees that can work better in the humanitarian sector, does anyone have advice on how to go forward with picking a masters program that is suitable? My main interest is in disaster relief.

Second, what is the normal process of obtaining a job in this sector out of graduation, and any advice I should consider for going forward.

Any advice over would be helpful, I feel like I know so many things but not enough at the same time. Thank you!

Hey, r/humanitarian! My name is Erin Hogan, I am the Volunteer Recruitment Manager at ENGin, a nonprofit that connects English speakers around the world to Ukrainian learners for online conversation practice and cross-cultural exchange.

We’ve welcomed many volunteers over the years, and our program continues to grow to over 20,000 volunteers. We’re proud of the way our volunteers and students create powerful, mutually beneficial bonds that foster empathy and global connection. Our vision is to create a generation of English-fluent, globally engaged Ukrainians who can support Ukraine's reconstruction post-war and propel Ukraine towards a prosperous future. 

Volunteering with ENGin is an easy process - our program does not require any special skills or experience and is designed to be flexible and accessible. Volunteers meet 1-on-1 or in small groups with matched learners for 1 hour a week, online, for a minimum of 3 months. We provide resources, tips, and tools to make the experience simple and enjoyable.

If you’d like to volunteer with us, visit www.enginprogram.org/volunteer . We’d love to have you in the program! You can also join an info session to learn more about us before you sign up. Feel free to message me with any questions. 

Slava Ukraini!

Hi all,

I am possibly planning on going to a conflict zone to conduct a study. I was wondering what good factual movies or documentaries I can watch to get an idea of war zones

Before you say anything, I am not a fool. It is not the same as in real life. I’ve got plenty of real life trainings scheduled to prepare me. Nonetheless, watching these docu’s can’t do any harm I assumed when I lay in bed and need to watch anything, so why not that

Hope you got some good recommendations regarding conflict zones or humanitarian supply chain logistics

The simple stoves were being shipped out across Africa by the millions, and few people here saw the downside. The stoves were free. They were pitched as an upgrade to the charcoal grill and wood campfire cooking methods in the area. And they promised solutions to the massive problems of deforestation and smoke pollution.

But as the stoves were handed out in this part of Mozambique in 2021, Victoria Jose Arriscado said she was struck by how cheap they looked — just a few metal parts atop clay bricks and mud.

When she used it, her home filled with smoke, and her eyes teared up.

Arriscado and others had received the stoves as part of a program run by D.C.-based C-Quest Capital, a producer of carbon credits — specialized investments that some of the world’s largest companies buy to offset their planet-warming emissions. The company distributes stoves that it says are more efficient than traditional campfires, reducing the amount of wood burned and protecting users’ lungs. 

But C-Quest’s program in Mozambique — marketed as a climate solution that also produces a better life for impoverished Africans — failed to deliver on either pledge, according to an investigation by The Washington Post.

Full story here (gifted article):

https://wapo.st/4h3jvmT

What is your go to backpack for missions? I’ve considered the GoRuck but it’s expensive and probably unnecessarily so. Any other ideas? Osprey? North face? Anything 25-30L that holds stuff? Thanks!

I've created a database of 115 international development and humanitarian consulting firms, categorised by sector, specialisations, location, and size, with links to their websites, career pages, and LinkedIn. Loopedconsultants.com

I hope that this database will be helpful for other international development and humanitarian consultants out there or those looking to work in the consulting space. This list is non-exhaustive! Please add missing firms via the feedback form on the site or share their link in the comments below.

I’m currently the Vice-Project Director of my school’s Engineers Without Borders club, and we’re planning to carry out a construction project in North Vietnam in May/June 2025.

I was wondering how reliable the structures built by students (not necessarily from Civil Engineering) would be in withstanding the elements over time? I’m personally more interested in implementing sanitation infrastructure (aka toilets & wastewater treatment)… There’ll probably also be some cross-cultural/teaching activities carried out, but I’m not as concerned about that.

Essentially, I’m thinking about whether our project will have any real long-term impact on the community we’re helping. Does anyone have experience with or advice on this? I’d appreciate any specific tips with regards to project planning as well (given our… frankly quite short time frame).

For context, I’m based in Singapore.

I have decided to build orphanages in Africa. Any advice on how to raise money for this? I am going to be partnering with churches here in the Michigan area, but my goal is to save lives of children in the kaduna refugee camp and possibly also into the Sudan conflict, where there is starvation.

Hello,

I've been trying to follow the conflicts in middle east for a while, and now more closely the Lebanon situation.

Compared to Ukraine 2022 and Gaza 2023 refugee and humanitarian crisis, the Lebanon one at the moment seems at start/not that big so far compared to Ukriane and Gaza, i've read various numbers on the topic, but so far it seems that it's not "that bad" , as in Gaza or early Ukraine conflict cirsis.

Both Ukraine and Gaza conflicts recived very large media cover, and you could for a time read about it everywhere and heard about it everywhere - This doesn't seem to happen now with Lebanon, with is ofcaurse bcs it's limited operation from Israeli side, and not full invazion of the country as in Gaza strip.

Could anyone provide me with numbers of refugees, humanitarian situation atm in Lebanon, etc. stuff?
Also could anyone tell me how much is it covered in media, and around the word known by people? Do you think it could evolve like in Gaza, that global "support" will grow and the topic it self only by time - and reach same level as Gaza public support and knowledge for example?

So im a pretty big supporter of Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons, but im having trouble finding the difference between different groups, like the International Rescue Committee, the International Committee of the Red Cross in Syria(Their office in the country), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Syrian Red Crescent, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Syrian branch/office, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Syria Office, UNICEF in Syria, the WHO in Syria, and Direct Relief. These are all the main ones that ive found(that i support), and I chose all of them because i don't choose just one, but im curious what they all do individually.

Hi all,

I'm a masters student who is doing thesis reseaech about integrity within humanitarian aid organizations operating in Mexico and Argentina. I'm looking for research psrticipants who are currently working or have worked in humanitarian aid in either of these countries, and speak fluent Spanish. If you're willing to participate, please DM me. It would be supremely helpful.

Thanks in advance.

I am an international relations major, in my sophomore year of college, trying to figure out what I want to do in the humanitarian sector. I will be going for my master’s degree to get a less broad degree. I am thinking about public health or maybe WASH.

Hi everybody. I have a bachelors degree in politics & international relations and history. I have a masters degree in politics and international relations specialising in conflict and terrorism. I finished in June 2023 and graduated May this year. I’ve been looking for a job for more than a year (to be specific 478 days but who’s counting) and I don’t know what’s wrong. I’m not sure it’s because of my lack of experience or the current economic crisis but I’m just wondering am I doing something wrong? I can’t find a job anywhere. At this point, I am hopeless and I’m wondering if I’ll be one of those people who study something and a force to do something completely different. Since I was seven, I’ve always wanted to work in humanitarian and I really don’t want to deviate from that. Can anyone help me? allocate me to the right place? I’m from New Zealand and I would be more than okay moving overseas in fact I would prefer.

Hello, I am an Engineering Student at Arizona State University working with a team to create an educational program of practical skills for people living in a struggling rural community in Nicaragua. We are in the process of researching the practical skills that might be most useful in helping them to address their problems with water, food, health, and the economy (small businesses families might be able to build to support the community and themselves financially.) We believe in helping them help themselves. Let me know if you have any thoughts of what skills would be most beneficial for our friends in Nicaragua to know! :)

Hi everyone,

I’m currently developing a medical airdrop device called AP00, designed specifically for disaster response and emergency relief efforts. The AP00 delivers critical medical supplies to remote or hard-to-reach areas during the critical first 72 hours after a disaster. The device is tailored to deliver supplies to people with little to no medical training, so the kits must be easy-to-use and accessible.

I’d greatly appreciate your insights on the following:

• What are the key challenges when trying to get medical supplies to affected areas during the first 72 hours of a disaster?
• Given that many recipients might not have medical training, what features would make an airdrop system most effective for them?
• Are there any must-have capabilities or good-to-have features that would improve the success of an airdrop system for medical supplies?
• What are the most critical medical needs during the early phases of disaster response?

Your experience as emergency management professionals or first responders would be invaluable in helping us ensure that AP00 meets real-world needs. Any advice or feedback is greatly appreciated!

Thank you for your time and expertise.

Best regards,
Gene

I’ve been looking in to humanitarian aid work and it seems like an incredibly competitive field requiring specialist qualifications and was wondering if there are any routes in to it without qualifications? I’m a UK based chef and also have a lot of experience in music and the arts (including these because they may be relevant to someone reading this) and I’ve always felt a need to do more to help people in need. I’m a very hands on and practical person which is why I never faired well in academic situations but I’m by no means unintelligent! I’m looking to start learning Arabic so I have another skill to offer, I started a few years back but circumstances changed. So I thought as I’m confident to cook for hundreds+ of people at a time and can organise it surely I could serve a purpose somewhere? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Edit: I am already registered with World Central Kitchen for volunteer opportunities, any first hand experiences/reviews with this organisation would also be greatly appreciated.

She live in Venezuela basically a third world country and right now she is in ICU because of cancer, the public hospital said that they can not take care of her because she is an oncologist patient and they dont have a oncologist in the hospital so we had to take her to a private clinic, we are running out of money and the bill is $14000 right now and i dont know where we can get more money, is there any organization that can help me take care of the bill in venezuela?

Hi everyone,

First of all this is my first post on Reddit, so I hope I’m following all the customs and rules correctly. I’ve been following this subreddit for a while and have read through many posts on how to break into the humanitarian sector. So I would like to thank all the contributors in this subreddit who have provided me with good insights into the humanitarian field. However, while there’s already a wealth of useful information, I haven’t found advice that quite fits my (our) specific situation. So, I thought I’d reach out to get your thoughts.

So a bit of necessary background first: my girlfriend and I have been together for 10 years, and we’re both working in social aid-related fields. She holds a master’s degree in law and has been practicing as an immigration lawyer for the past three years, focusing exclusively on cases involving international protection/asylum seekers. She’s fluent in French, English, Dutch, and has some knowledge of Spanish. On my side, I have a master’s in political science/public administration, with four years of experience in Monitoring & Evaluation (+ grant management) for a local government social program. I’m fluent in French and English, know a bit of Spanish, and I’m actively learning Arabic. We both studied abroad and pursued additional specialized master's programs: hers in international law, and mine in public policy analysis. We also have volunteering experience, mostly in migration aid, including providing French classes, guardianship for unaccompanied minors, and legal assistance.

We both enjoy our current jobs and feel that we’re contributing to meaningful work, but we’re also drawn to transitioning into the humanitarian sector, with the hope of applying our skills and experiences internationally.

That being said, there are two main questions we’re grappling with:

1. According to you and when looking at our respective profiles, do our professional experiences provide meaningful value for the humanitarian sector, or is there something we’re missing to really be competitive in that sector?
2. How feasible is it to find positions abroad that are close enough geographically so we could continue living together?

We’re not too concerned about salary cuts or job conditions, and we’re open to various locations. That said, I’ve spent some time in the Middle East (Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon), and it would be a bonus to work in that region.

If you have any feedback or advice for us we would really appreciate it. Looking forward to reading your insights!