Grants and Contributions

March 2023 – Humanitarian needs in Ukraine continue to be significant. The 2023 Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) indicates 17.7 million people require humanitarian assistance in Ukraine this year. Priority needs result largely from attacks on energy and shelter infrastructure, which hampers access to water, food, health care, transportation, telecommunications, and other essential services. The war is impacting women and men in different ways and is exacerbating pre-existing inequalities.

With GAC’s support, HelpAge Canada is supporting the most at-risk older people at home and their caregivers, older people displaced, those staying with others and those residing in social care institutions, in conflict-affected communities in east Ukraine. Project activities include: (1) providing basic social care services for home bound older women and men, including non-food items such as hygiene kits; (2) providing mobile teams to support most at-risk older people in social care institutions with protection services; (3) providing referrals and case management for older people and caregivers requiring additional protection support; (4) providing community-based protection activities, including mental health and psychosocial support; (5) providing cash for protection; and (6) distributing winterisation items to selected social care institutions.

February 2022 – Although the devastating conflict in northern Ethiopia has attracted the most attention since its outbreak in late 2020, it is only one of many interethnic disputes driving humanitarian need in the country. The western state of Benishangul-Gumuz has been beset by intercommunal conflict and rapidly deteriorating security since, at least, 2018. Current estimates indicate that more than 500,000 people are now displaced in the region of just over 1 million. The conflict has been marked by recurring attacks on civilians, with women, children, and other vulnerable members of the community bearing the brunt.

With GAC support, HelpAge is addressing the essential humanitarian needs of vulnerable internally displaced persons, refugees, and host communities in Ethiopia’s Benishangul-Gumuz region, with a particular focus on the elderly and other people with specific needs. Project activities include the provision of: (1) age- and disability-specific items (such as mobility aids, raised beds and toilets); (2) supplementary food rations; and, (3) in-home health and nutrition services to some of the most vulnerable members of an already highly vulnerable population.

February 2021 - Prior to the outbreak of conflict in the Tigray region in late 2020, Ethiopia was already facing ongoing acute humanitarian need, arising from sporadic but widespread intercommunal conflict, regional drought and flooding, swarms of desert locusts, the economic pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact of hosting nearly 800,000 refugees throughout the country. Together, these crises have led to widespread food insecurity, high levels of acute malnutrition, and significant population displacement. Although ongoing fighting and other access restrictions have hindered full needs assessments in Tigray, an estimated 29 million people in Ethiopia are likely to require humanitarian assistance in 2021.

With GAC’s support, HelpAge is ensuring access to life-saving health, nutrition, and protection services for elderly, disabled, or house-bound South Sudanese refugees living in Ethiopia’s Gambella region. Project activities include: (1) providing home-based health and nutrition services to elderly, disabled, or vulnerable refugees; (2) providing fresh food rations to nutritionally vulnerable elderly refugees; and (3) providing case-management and other protection services for elderly or vulnerable refugees.

With GAC’s support, HelpAge International is providing assistance to address the urgent needs of up 12,000 elderly and other highly vulnerable people amongst South Sudanese refugees in Ethiopia’s remote Gambella region.