UMCOR International Latest Responses

Please join us in offering continued prayers for safety, comfort and peace for those in the Holy Land. 

To date, UMCOR has awarded five emergency grants to local partners in Israel and Gaza. Partners are using funds for relocation support, food and hygiene kits for internally displaced people, psychosocial treatment and trauma counseling to women and children, and telemedicine services for disabled children in need of follow-up care, but without safe access to a clinic. We will provide additional updates as other grants are awarded.  

In early October, Global Ministries issued a joint statement on the attacks with the World Methodist Council and the Methodist Church in the United Kingdom. On Friday, Nov. 11, The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church issued a call for peace. On Monday, Nov. 13, Global Ministries General Secretary Roland Fernandes joined Churches for Middle East Peace and thirty American Christian leaders in calling for support of an immediate ceasefire, de-escalation and restraint by all involved.

You can give to UMCOR’s international disaster response and recovery efforts at: https://advance.umcmission.org/p-641-umcor-international-disaster-response-and-recovery.aspx.

(update as of Nov. 28, 2023)

On Saturday, Oct. 7, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake devastated Afghanistan, killing nearly 3,000 people and displacing thousands. Powerful aftershocks continue, causing more destruction. UMCOR is processing a grant to a longstanding partner in the Herat to provide urgently needed humanitarian assistance such as food, blankets, mental health and psychosocial support and other emergency supplies.

(updated Oct. 9, 2023)

On Sept. 11, torrential rains from Storm/Cyclone Daniel and the collapse of two dams produced catastrophic flooding in Libya, washing whole neighborhoods into the Mediterranean Sea. Tens of thousands of people were swept away by the floodwater and thousands more are still missing. UMCOR awarded a solidarity grant to partner International Blue Crescent (IBC) to assist with emergency relief.

A devastating 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook Morrocco on Sept. 8, killing more than 2,000 people and injuring thousands more. UMCOR awarded a solidarity grant to partner Muslim Aid to mobilize relief for those needing basic necessities of food, water and shelter. 

In early June, torrential rains caused widespread flooding that killed dozens and displaced more than 13,000 people. UMCOR communicated with local partners and awarded a solidarity grant to the Eglise Methodiste d’Haiti to provide cash assistance in order for people to receive urgently needed cleaning supplies and non-food items (NFI) such as mattresses, cooking/eating materials and hygiene items.

In May, this storm brought 145 mph winds and heavy rains, making it the strongest to hit the U.S. Pacific territory in decades. UMCOR supported the California-Pacific Conference and their disaster response coordinator with early response activities on the island, including a solidarity grant.

This cyclone in May was called one of the strongest storms to ever hit Myanmar with hundreds feared dead. Rohingha refugees along the border in Bangladesh also experienced losses. UMCOR awarded a solidarity grant to the Bangladesh Methodist Church for emergency relief for Saint Martin Island.

Occurring between February and April every year, torrential rains in Bukama and Malemba Nkulu territories caused major flooding that displaced around 6,000 households as well as brought significant damage to school, health and commercial buildings and places of religious worship. An UMCOR grant is helping to serve vulnerable households with food, clothing and household items as well as provide the Bukama health center with medications and supplies to treat patients suffering from water born disease.

UMCOR coordinated with partners to respond to several humanitarian crises in the Republic of Sudan, where political factions wage armed conflict, and the separate country of South Sudan, where drought and acute famine are widespread. One grant will serve 600 South Sudanese returnees and Sudanese refugees with food, mosquito nets and water filters.

On March 4, a violent tornado demolished the village of Zokolilié. The religious, education and sanitary buildings did not escape the wind and water and electricity were not available. An UMCOR grant is supporting the recovery with construction material to rehabilitate 50 homes and essential community buildings.

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey on February 6, the most powerful earthquake recorded since 1939. At least 78 aftershocks were reported, followed by a second earthquake of 7.5 magnitude. Tens of thousands of people were killed. The earthquake also heavily impacted northwest Syria, where 4.1 million people depend on humanitarian assistance.

UMCOR awarded initial emergency grants to longstanding partners International Blue Crescent (IBC) and Forum for Development Culture and Dialogue (working in Syria) to help provide tents, heaters, blankets, warm clothes, ready to eat meals and first aid kits to those who have been displaced. UMCOR then awarded a relief grant to International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) to support approximately 300 displaced households in Aleppo, Hama, and Lattakia governorates, Syria, with family hygiene kits, food and rent assistance.

Cyclone Freddy, which hit the coast on February 4, was both the longest-lasting and most powerful tropical cyclone ever recorded worldwide. Over a five-week period, it made landfall twice and caused more than 700 deaths in five countries. UMCOR responded by awarding grants for emergency rations and hygiene supplies to hard-hit areas of Madagascar, Mozambique and Malawi.

The storm changed from a tropical storm to a super typhoon in less than 24 hours as it swept through Central Luzon on September 25 and 26. The typhoon caused floods and damaged houses and roads, tore down power lines, destroyed trees and devastated crops. UMCOR awarded a solidarity grant to the Manila Episcopal Area which enabled them to assess the situation, operationalize their response and determine appropriate assistance to meet the most urgent human needs.

Severe and widespread flooding killed thousands of people and left millions displaced, the worst natural disaster in Pakistan in decades. Working closely with partners in the region, UMCOR awarded two solidarity grantsto help people meet basic needs with food and hygiene kits in Punjab, Balochistan and Sindh provinces.

A strong earthquake hit the northern Philippines in late July. Many people were killed and injured, and nearly 50,000 were displaced. UMCOR awarded a solidarity grant to the Baguio Episcopal Area to support food, water, sanitation and hygiene as well as shelter and non-food items for vulnerable households.

In late June, a 6.1 magnitude earthquake killed more than 1,000 people and left thousands more injured. UMCOR awarded a solidarity grant to a local partner in support of their food, hygiene and cash relief programming.

Since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces, UMCOR has acted on behalf of The United Methodist Church to provide aid and assistance. Grants for immediate relief have been given to trusted partners – United Methodist churches in surrounding countries, ecumenical partners and non-governmental organizations – to provide direct aid inside Ukraine as well as help for those who have fled to surrounding countries. Learn more about relief and ongoing response efforts here.

Brought on by the underwater eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano on January 15, a tsunami in Tonga produced widespread flooding, falling ash and strong fumes, and led to the displacement of many people. UMCOR awarded a solidarity grant to help provide transportation of relief supplies to Tonga that were mobilized by a Tongan community in Southern California.

Cote d’Ivoire, Uganda

UMCOR awarded a recovery grant in support of vulnerable female-headed households in Abidjan, leveraging cash assistance to finance income-generating activities and offering educational workshops for women who lost a spouse and/or children in the pandemic. In Uganda, a recovery grant addressed basic needs of households affected by poverty and malnutrition exacerbated by the onset of the pandemic and reduced food insecurity through the distribution of small farming tools and education on sustainable farming practices.

India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh

UMCOR awarded relief grants to aid efforts of partners through medical equipment and PPE, information and awareness campaigns, food and livelihood support.

Bahamas

UMCOR awarded a grant to the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas to supplement efforts by the Bahamas government and other organizations to provide food assistance to 130 households.

Syria

UMCOR awarded a grant focused on community resilience by providing 1,000 households with COVID-19 hygiene kits.

Super Typhoon Rai struck with unpredicted force in mid-December, causing the death and displacement of hundreds of people. The storm toppled structures and caused severe flooding and landslides. UMCOR provided emergency assistance to address immediate needs in areas most damaged by the typhoon and will continue to support the Disaster Management Offices through long-term recovery.

UMCOR awarded grants to the Methodist Church of Kenya and the Methodist Church Madagascar for emergency food rations to help meet basic needs of thousands of vulnerable families affected by ongoing drought.

In response to unrest and uncertainty in Afghanistan, UMCOR worked with long-standing partners in the region to provide humanitarian relief and assist with refugee resettlement. UMCOR supported displaced families residing in the Kabul area with cash assistance, enabling them to prioritize their most urgent needs such as food, shelter, or medicine. UMCOR continues to support the efforts of International Blue Crescent in Kunduz and Mazar-i-Sharif, providing food rations and hygiene kits to displaced families.

Following a devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake on August 14, and Tropical Storm Grace which dumped 10 inches of rain on Haiti just two days later, UMCOR worked with partners to meet the immediate needs of survivors, addressing healthcare, food, water and hygiene. It continues to offer humanitarian assistance by offering cash assistance and targeting food insecurity. 10 grants have been awarded in total.

Henan Province was hit by storms since mid-July, causing widespread flooding. An estimated one million hectares of agricultural lands and infrastructure were impacted and more than 300 people died. UMCOR awarded a grant to a partner in support of immediate human needs.

In response to the increased COVID-19 global outbreak, UMCOR awarded relief grants to aid efforts of partners through medical equipment and PPE, information and awareness campaigns, food and livelihood support.

The people of Congo have endured severe flooding since 2019 that has claimed lives, homes, churches and schools. For the past few years, UMCOR has worked with multiple episcopal areas and supported the response of local disaster management coordinators. Food, household items and hygiene supplies have been distributed to those who have lost belongings and been displaced.

In response to May’s violent conflict in Israel and Palestine, UMCOR awarded a grant to a regional partner to provide critical relief for hundreds of internally displaced families. Locally sourced items, assembled into hygiene kits, were distributed to the most affected families in Gaza City and north Gaza. UMCOR also financially supported the response of the ACT Alliance.

Tensions have risen and violence has increased significantly in the eastern provinces of Congo since October 2020. Armed groups have targeted civilians and displaced populations in the region. In response, UMCOR has provided multiple grants in support of those affected, supplying food and other basic necessities for thousands of vulnerable households.

In response to the La Soufrière Volcano eruption on April 9, UMCOR provided financial assistance to the Methodist Church of St. Vincent for the purchase and distribution of food, hygiene items and bedding at evacuation centers, some of which are Methodist churches.

Deteriorating economic and political conditions in Venezuela have decreased access to food, medicine and livelihoods. An UMCOR grant supplied families with two months of food rations.

After the eruption of Mt. Nyiragongo in East Congo near the city of Goma on May 22, UMCOR worked with the disaster management office of the East Congo Episcopal Area and awarded a solidarity grant to support immediate needs. An additional grant was awarded in August that furnished a one-month supply of food, non-food and hygiene items for 4,600 individuals.

A massive fire broke out in Kutupalong and Balukhali, the world’s largest refugee camps, in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh on the March 22. The fire damaged over 12,000 shelters; more than 61,000 Rohingya refugees were affected by the fire. An UMCOR grant supplied emergency cash assistance and non-food items for affected families.

In response to the economic crisis caused by the military takeover in February, UMCOR awarded a relief grant to the Methodist Church of Lower Myanmar for food rations, emergency cash assistance and medical care for vulnerable households.

On January 23, Cyclone Eloise made landfall in Mozambique, bringing torrential rain and severe flooding to the coast. The storm hit areas already devastated by Cyclones Idai and Kenneth in March and April 2019. The Mozambique Episcopal Area Disaster Management Office was awarded a grant for immediate emergency assistance to address basic human needs such as food, hygiene and temporary shelter.

In January, the people of Indonesia endured a series of deadly disasters including flooding, landslides, an earthquake and volcanic activity. UMCOR awarded multiple grants to provide for distribution of food and basic necessities in rural communities as well as to facilitate shelter repair and livelihood recovery.

The people of East Congo endured severe flooding that claimed lives, homes, churches and schools in late April. UMCOR worked with both the North Katanga and East Congo episcopal areas and supported the response of local disaster management coordinators. Food such as rice, cornmeal and oil were distributed to flood survivors. In November, South Congo saw major flooding that affected property and infrastructure. UMCOR awarded a grant to assist in the restoration of damaged community assets.

After this destructive trio of typhoons hit within three weeks of one another in November, UMCOR awarded four grants to episcopal areas in the Philippines in support of immediate relief efforts such as access to food and water, sanitation and hygiene. The Disaster Management Office of the Manila Episcopal Area was awarded a grant for the distribution of rice and cash assistance to households affected by Typhoon Vamco as well as shelter repair and livelihood recovery.

UMCOR awarded grants to The Middle East Council of Churches, the Forum for Development, Culture and Dialogue and the Joint Christian Committee (Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees, Lebanon) in support of their local response to the August 4 explosion. These funds helped to procure and deliver essential food and hygiene supplies, nonfood items such as bedding and cooking supplies, and provide psychosocial support for vulnerable children and adults.

Monsoon rains in July resulted in flooding and landslides in several municipalities across the country. Homes were damaged and hundreds of people died, were injured, or were reported as missing. UMCOR funding provided immediate relief assistance in the form of food kits and hygiene supplies for rural communities.

In late May and early June, Amanda and Cristobal impacted regions across El Salvador. Thousands of hectares of crops were damaged and many structures were destroyed by flooding and landslides. Funding provided assistance through food baskets, medicine and hygiene kits, metal material for roof repair and small stoves to families affected by the storms as well the COVID-19 pandemic.

In partnership with UMCOR, the Philippines Manila Episcopal Area Disaster Management Office identified and distributed food and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) needs to those displaced by the eruption in mid-January. Continued recovery efforts include working to restore livelihoods for evacuees upon return to their villages.

UMCOR awarded grants to the Malawi Provisional Annual Conference, The United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe and The United Methodist Church in Mozambique in response to Cyclone Idai and Kenneth’s back-to-back devastating rains and flooding. The grants provided immediate emergency funding for basic human needs including food distribution, hygiene supplies/clothing distribution, safe water access and temporary shelter.

UMCOR awarded a grant to address immediate needs in the most hard-hit provinces of Baguio while the Disaster Management Coordinators in the Philippines continued to work with their communities after Typhoon Mangkhut to assess damages and needs.