Children's Emergency Fund

In an emergency, children are most at risk.

During and after an emergency, every minute of every day puts children at greater risk of violence, sexual exploitation and hunger – and girls are often the worst affected. 

Right now, one in every four children is living in a country affected by conflict or disaster. Around 1.5 billion people are affected by conflict globally and over 65 million, half of them children, have been forced from their homes due to violence. And over 21 million children are severely food insecure.

That’s why we need to reach even more children in even less time. In emergencies, how fast we respond can determine whether a girl in crisis lives or dies. And the way Plan International can respond quickest is with your ongoing support.

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How We’re Responding

We’re responding to the Ukraine crisis right now by supporting Ukrainian refugees in Poland, Moldova and Romania. Plan International is bringing our years of experience in helping children who have been affected by the horrors of war, right from our origins 85 years ago supporting children suffering from the trauma of a war in Europe. 

We’re also working to fight against global hunger during the worst hunger crisis of this century. Our staff are already working with communities bearing the brunt of this global food crisis to reach those most affected and expand our support. That means more food distributions, school meals, cash and voucher assistance, malnutrition screenings and nutrition support. Here are some recent examples of our response so far:

• In Kenya, we’re working across a number of counties to provide a daily school meal to over 4,500 children.
• In Somalia, over 18,000 people in 2,000 households are accessing clean and safe drinking water.
• In Niger, hundreds of families have received cash transfers so they can decide the best way to cover their most basic needs. The most common purchases are maize, rice and school snacks for children.
• In Burkina Faso, children in displacement camps are finding a safe refuge in our child-friendly spaces, where children can came to play, relax and make friends in their new environments.
• In Mali, women are growing a sustainable supply of nutritious food through our community garden project. They receive training, technical support and seeds to help them produce tomatoes, salad and potatoes.
• In Ethiopia, families can sign up to receive animal feeding supplements to keep their livestock healthy.

But these are only a couple of the many crises we’re responding to. Our Disaster Risk Management team works around the world to reach the most vulnerable children in an emergency.

And more and more people need help every year.

According to the U.N., the funding needed for humanitarian aid has doubled in the last four years. They estimate that in 2022 alone, 274 million people will need humanitarian assistance — the highest number in decades.

We won’t stop in our work to protect children and promote girls’ rights to create a safer, fairer, and more equal world for everyone.  

Please make a recurring gift today to Plan International Ireland’s Children’s Emergency Fund. Your donation will help our team prepare for the next emergency — the next refugee crisis, the next natural disaster or the next disease outbreak — so that we can respond even faster and save even more lives.