Disasters can take everything from you in the blink of an eye.

12-year-old Chan lived with his 86-year-old grandmother in rural Laos. When the flash flood hit, Chan’s home, livestock, and farmland were instantly destroyed. “I only managed to grab my puppy, ​​Kee. When I looked back, the water had nearly reached the roof, and the pigs and chickens were swept away. I was very scared,” he recalled.

How did we help? We distributed food items, including Chan’s favourite rice, to affected families. We also provided cash assistance to help families restore their homes and livelihood tools so that their lives can return to normal as soon as possible, allowing children to regain opportunities to learn and play.

When the earthquake hit Myanmar, Myat grabbed his younger brother and pulled him into the water, the only thing he could save from the disaster. Unfortunately, Myat could not save his home, nor his mother’s life — she died in the earthquake. “My heart shattered when I saw my mother’s lifeless body and the collapsed house,” he recalled.

How did we help? We provided urgent life-saving support including food, clean water, emergency kits and temporary housing to children like Myat and their families. We will continue to provide children with medium- and long-term services, such as psychological support, maternal and child health information services, and the establishment of child-friendly spaces, ensuring children can survive and thrive during and after disasters.

Fleeing conflict in Syria, Amal managed to take only a few clothes and her shoes — leaving behind her beloved books, toys, and any way to reach her friends. Since then, she has lived in a tent with her family, losing her home, social connection, opportunities to learn and play, struggling every day through cold nights, artillery fire and loud sounds of planes.

How did we help? Since 2012, Save the Children has supported more than 8.3 million people in Syria, including 4.8 million children like Amal, providing food, clean water, emotional and psychosocial support, shelter, healthcare and education services.