CAFOD works with local organisations on the ground, or ‘partners’, who can respond to emergencies immediately and are used to working with local people.

When a country is at war people are often forced to leave their homes. CAFOD’s partners provide emergency relief such as shelter, food, water and health care.

Duván (right), 13, and his family were driven from their farmhouse by fighting between the army and guerrilla forces. They are now living in a shanty town on the outskirts of Neiva and are trying to rebuild their lives.

CAFOD partner, Pastoral Social, trained and supported Duván’s mother, Luz Mila, to set up a metal furniture business. Now the family has become more secure and Luz Mila can support her children at school, buying equipment like books and pens.

Veronica Gita, 56, and her family were displaced along with thousands of others when an armed rebel group, the Lord’s Resistance Army, carried out attacks in The local Catholic diocese, a CAFOD partner, provided household kits and clothes. The kits included mosquito nets, blankets and cooking and shelter materials.

The diocese gave Veronica a household kit: “Before receiving help it was difficult even to cook, but after receiving it helped us up to now to survive.” She would like to return home: “When the attack started there was a lot of noise. I didn’t see them, I just ran. I collected the children and ran.” “I would like to go back, but the LRA are still in the bush. I can’t go back.” Veronica Gita, South Sudan

CAFOD helps partners respond to disasters such as earthquakes and floods and to give people what they need to survive. CAFOD also helps people affected by drought, another type of natural disaster, where people do not have enough food to survive because harvests have failed or livestock have died.

After the Pakistan floods in 2010, CAFOD partner CRS provided emergency kits, including kitchen utensils and plastic sheeting. “When it rained yesterday we had to use the plastic sheet to take cover and the cooler helps us store and keep our water clean.” Sher Ali, 14.

When Hadjo noticed that her son Adamou had stopped eating the tiny portions she could feed him, she knew he was very sick. Niger has suffered continued food shortages due to drought for many years. In 2010, it was estimated that 800,000 young Nigerians were at risk of acute malnutrition.

Adamou was taken to hospital and treated for the effects of malnutrition. Now our partner, the Saga Centre, enables Hadjo to care for him at home. The centre monitor’s Adamou’s progress and gives Hadjo five days’ food for her family.

Natural disasters and conflicts can have a devastating effect on people’s lives. Homes, schools, health centres and livelihoods can all be destroyed. CAFOD helps by building new homes, providing training and replacing vital equipment so people can get back to work.

CAFOD partners talk to communities about what they want, and help them to prioritise their needs, find new ways to support their families and improve their general standard of living. Where possible, CAFOD remains in communities for the long term after an emergency has happened.

Celina Traesil lost her home in the Haiti 2010 earthquake. CAFOD partners first built some temporary houses, then began to build permanent houses, working alongside the local community.

“In the community meetings we have agreed a plan, we will work together to build each other’s homes.” “We have a saying, ‘You don’t have to eat for yourself, you have to think of others’.” Celina Traesil

Kabery, 12, wants to be a nurse – but her parents have to pay for her education. Kabery’s family lives in a village which is often hit by cyclones and floods. These destroy houses and ruin farmland. This makes it hard for Kabery’s parents to earn a living, as each time there is a natural disaster, they have to pay to fix the damage.

CAFOD is helping Kabery’s mother, Bijoli, to earn a better living. She now grows and sells fruit and vegetables, and rears ducks. The family can now afford to send Kabery to school. “Before the training the land wasn’t used for anything. Now the crop is always successful. The income I get from the garden means that I can spend extra money on my children.” Bijoli, 31

Darling, 21, takes part in a simulated flood response run by a CAFOD partner to help her community respond to future natural disasters. This area is prone to hurricanes and floods and people can be completely cut off. Learning how to scale ropes helps people like Darling to reach safety and assist others.

“We’re not doing this just for fun. Every time it rains here the road and river floods and people can’t cross. Now when it rains they can cross with ropes.” Darling, 21

Picture credits Amelia Bookstein, Laura Donkin, Noel Gavin, Marcella Haddad, Patrick Nicholson, Mike Noyes, Nana Anto- Awuakye, Noel Gavin / Allpix / Trocaire, Philippe Mougin, Caritas Internationalis, Bridget Burrows, Paul Smith, N Fischer/ Caritas Switzerland.