Iran is poised to become the new epicenter of the coronavirus. Relief International is one of only two international nonprofit organizations authorized by OFAC and the Iranian authorities to operate in Iran, responding to humanitarian crises like the coronavirus outbreak.

Building blocks and children’s books are scattered across the center’s colorful mat floors, and peals of laughter echo throughout the room. This space looks like any other daycare, but it’s not. This one is special. It provides a glimmer of hope in the lives of the youngest Syrian refugees.

The deadly flash floods that struck southern Iran in mid-January have left widespread infrastructure damage in its wake, uprooting more than 250,000 people in 933 villages. Families at the center of the crisis are in urgent need of access to clean sources of water and sanitation facilities. Relief International’s emergency response is underway.

“January 15 was one of the worst days of my life,” recalls Kadija Al-Qadri. After a relatively easy pregnancy, she eagerly awaited the moment when she would hold her youngest child in her arms. But Kadija’s excitement was replaced with fear after she learned that her baby was transverse, or positioned horizontally. In Yemen, it’s a diagnosis that can be deadly.

Iranians are facing catastrophic floods – again. It’s only been nine months since last spring’s deadly torrential rains hit hundreds of cities and villages, triggering landslides and damaging homes beyond repair. As the rains continue, our teams are working to meet families’ most urgent needs for food, clean water, blankets, hygiene kits, and emergency shelter.   

Relief International has worked in Afghanistan since 2001. Over the last decade, our programs in Nimroz and Farah have provided shelter and enhanced food security and livelihoods.

Relief International has built extensive expertise in community cohesion and livelihoods projects in Myanmar over the past seven years. This paved the way for us to work with the government to pilot a project offering tangible solutions to reintegration of the internally displaced population that arrived as a result of several waves of intercommunal ethnic violence that started in 2012.

Relief International’s education program in Pakistan works to improve Afghan refugees’ equitable access and enrollment in primary education in Pakistani government schools, with a particular emphasis on girls and vulnerable families.