Haiti faces a worsening humanitarian crisis. Armed gang violence, hunger, and ongoing instability are placing millions of people at greater risk. Children and families already struggling to find food and safety now face growing insecurity, displacement, and limited access to essential services.

World Vision is deeply concerned about the escalation of violence and compounding challenges that continue to threaten the safety and well-being of millions, especially children.

Haiti in crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

• Fast facts: Haiti crisis
• What is the current situation in Haiti?
• Why is Haiti in crisis?
• What are the challenges and risks for Haitian children?
• How is World Vision helping vulnerable Haitian communities today?
• How many people in Haiti has World Vision supported?
• How can I make a difference and support Haitian children and families?

Fast facts: Haiti in crisis

• Widespread poverty: Haiti, the most impoverished nation in the Latin American and Caribbean region, faces severe economic challenges.
• Food insecurity: Nearly half of the Haitian population (5.7 million people) is affected by acute hunger, with over 1.9 million facing emergency levels of hunger.
• Displacement: Conflicts and natural disasters have displaced approximately 1.3 million people — over half of them children — within the country as of June 2025.
• Violence: Grave violations against children have surged 490% between 2023 and 2024, according to World Vision’s report.
• Healthcare crisis: Many health facilities are closed or operating only partially, limiting access to lifesaving care.
• Gender-based violence: Women and girls are increasingly victims of gang-related violence.
• Cholera outbreak: Tens of thousands of suspected cholera cases have been reported since 2022, straining an already fragile health system.
• Natural disasters: Haiti is highly vulnerable to earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and storms. Past disasters include the 2021 and 2010 earthquakes, which have compounded humanitarian needs.

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What is the current situation in Haiti?

Haiti is facing a prolonged and complex humanitarian crisis intensified by escalating violence, political instability, and economic hardship.

Since early 2024, armed groups have expanded their control across Port-au-Prince, with large portions of the city affected. This has disrupted access to food, clean water, healthcare, and other essential services. Insecurity has forced families to flee their homes, often multiple times, in search of safety.

The situation has also severely impacted supply chains. Looting and blockades have limited the movement of goods, contributing to rising food prices and worsening hunger.

Many Haitians are seeking safety elsewhere, including along the border with the Dominican Republic, where families face uncertain conditions and limited access to support.

At the same time, Haiti remains highly exposed to natural hazards. Seasonal storms and flooding continue to increase risks for vulnerable communities, intensifying already urgent humanitarian needs.

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Why is Haiti in crisis?

Haiti has faced a multidimensional crisis for decades, caused by political unrest and economic instability. The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted Haiti, exacerbating economic challenges and straining an already fragile healthcare system. Earthquakes, cholera outbreaks, and hurricanes, including Hurricane Melissa in late October 2025, continue to compound the hardships Haitians face today.

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What are the challenges and risks for Haitian children?

A humanitarian crisis delivers the heaviest blow to the most vulnerable — especially children. Even before the catastrophic threat of Hurricane Melissa, children in Haiti faced challenging conditions:

• Exposure to violence: Witnessing or experiencing violence firsthand can have long-lasting physical, social, and psychological effects.
• Forced recruitment into gangs: Children are exposed to further violence and exploitation by being forced into gangs.
• Malnutrition and food insecurity: Crisis-induced food shortages and rising prices are putting children at greater risk of severe malnutrition and its lasting impacts.
• Lack of protection: Displacement and migration caused by the current volatile situation can separate children from their families and caregivers, making them more vulnerable to abuse.
• Limited access to healthcare: Closed hospitals and disrupted health services leave many children without access to essential care and vaccinations.
• Education disruptions: School closures due to security concerns put children at risk of setbacks or even complete loss of education.

Nothing to eat

“The children complain of hunger, and there is nothing to eat,” said Rosemita, a 28-year-old mother of five, who fled with her children (shown right) to the Dominican Republic, hoping they would have enough food and be kept safe. “The situation is very tough, very difficult.”

With nowhere to go due to the escalating violence in Haiti, they have found some relief through World Vision, which supports the family with essential aid and resources.

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How is World Vision supporting vulnerable Haitian communities today?

World Vision works to support and safeguard vulnerable children and families during these dangerous and unpredictable conditions. Our longstanding operations in the country persist, and we remain committed to serving those in need in Haiti, as we have been doing for over 45 years.

Our support includes:

• Humanitarian aid: Food, clean water, shelter, hygiene kits, and cash assistance.
• Psychosocial and child protection programs: Helping children cope with trauma from violence and disasters.
• Gender-based violence support: Reaching survivors through case management.
• Emergency preparedness for Hurricane Melissa: Monitoring the storm and pre-positioning supplies to support 4,000 households with essential items, including food aid, access to clean water, shelter materials, and more.

“Children and families in Haiti are facing compounding crises,” said Lesly Michaud, World Vision’s national program director in Haiti. “We are committed to standing with communities through this storm and beyond, ensuring they receive the support they need to recover and rebuild.”

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How many people in Haiti has World Vision supported?

In 2025, World Vision supported 567,000 of the most vulnerable people in Haiti, maintaining a meaningful presence and promoting hope and resilience. Key updates include:

• 27,495 people have gained access to clean water through 12 new water points.
• 1,342 heads of households, 85% of them women, received small business skills and financial support to start or expand businesses.
• 1,839 children under 5 with care for severe malnutrition — over 98% fully recovered.

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How can I make a difference and support Haitian children and families?

You can make an impact amid the crisis in Haiti and other disasters worldwide.

• Pray: Join us in praying for all those affected by the crisis in Haiti.
• Give: Your gift will help deliver crucial aid to vulnerable children and families affected by emergencies like the crisis in Haiti.
• Sponsor a child: Help equip a child, their family, and community for a brighter future. Sponsorship helps meet urgent needs today — and supports lasting empowerment through physical and spiritual resources.

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The post Haiti crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help appeared first on World Vision.

Today, nearly 1 in 10 children worldwide are engaged in labor that denies them their basic human rights and jeopardizes their well-being. Child labor has been on the rise in recent years, driven by conflicts, crises, and the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have pushed countless families deeper into poverty, according to the United Nations. For these children, the struggle for survival has taken away their education, safety, and childhood. Despite global efforts, economic growth has not been enough to alleviate the hardships that force families to depend on child labor.

Child labor: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

• Fast facts: Child labor
• What is child labor?
• Why is child labor a problem, and where is it prevalent?
• What are the worst forms of child labor?
• What is the primary driver of child labor?
• Has child labor increased or decreased over time?
• What is World Vision doing to end child labor?
• How can I help end child labor?
• Child labor history

Fast facts: Child labor

• Child labor, by definition, is a violation of child protection and human rights.
• Approximately 160 million children have been forced into child labor since 2020. Of these children, 63 million were girls, and 97 million were boys. And nearly half of those young laborers — 79 million children — worked under hazardous conditions.
• 1 in 3 children in child labor are out of school.
• Approximately 70% (112 million) of child laborers work in agriculture like farming and livestock herding.
• Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest number of child laborers at 86.6 million children, followed by Central and Southern Asia with 26.3 million.
• June 12 marks the United Nations–sanctioned World Day Against Child Labour, a time to reflect on young workers deprived of their childhood, education, and a rightful future.

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What is child labor?

Child labor is the exploitation of children who are either too young to work or are engaged in work that compromises their physical, mental, social, or educational development. Children, especially vulnerable during their early developmental years, are at risk of injuries that may not become evident as physical and mental health problems until later stages of life.

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Why is child labor a problem, and where is it prevalent?

Child labor affects millions of children around the globe by depriving them of their childhood, education, and fundamental human rights. It poses risks of physical, emotional, and psychological harm to those involved.

Data from the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) shows that slightly more than 1 in 5 children in the world’s poorest countries engage in potentially harmful work, as of 2023. This issue is prevalent in areas of insecurity and armed conflict.

Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest number of child laborers, with nearly 24% of children aged 5 to 17 engaged in child labor. Factors contributing to child labor in low-income countries include family poverty and inadequate education. However, child labor isn’t limited to low-income countries. It persists to some extent in all countries: More than half of all child laborers live in middle-income countries.

David, the eldest of five children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), became the sole provider at age 13 after his father left in 2022. Working in a quarry, David faced daily hardships. However, World Vision came alongside David and his family, as it has for other children like him. Through community awareness campaigns and targeted interventions, World Vision helped facilitate David’s return to school with support from RECOPE (a community child protection network) in Haut-Katanga province. World Vision continues to support the Congolese government’s efforts to safeguard children’s rights in the DRC.

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What are the worst forms of child labor?

The International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 182 demands that hazardous and morally damaging labor practices for children be immediately and completely eliminated. The worst forms of child labor, as defined by this document, include:

• Slavery or similar practices
• Child trafficking
• Forced recruitment into armed conflict
• Prostitution and pornography
• Drug production and trafficking or other illegal acts
• Debt bondage
• Children working in mines
• Hazardous work that can cause injury or moral corruption

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What is the primary driver of child labor?

Poverty is the primary reason children are forced to work, perpetuating a crushing cycle that denies them education, a crucial tool to break free from poverty. According to the ILO, approximately 70% of child laborers toil in agriculture. Others work long hours in factories and domestic service or face even more exploitative forms of labor, such as child soldiers or being exploited in the commercial sex trade.

“The work I do at the workshop is very painful. I often get cuts and bruises on my hands and I have to lift very heavy machinery,” says Sajal*, a child laborer in Bangladesh. “I don’t want to work here but I will starve if I don’t work. The kids I used to go to school with now bully me sometimes. They tell me that I don’t belong with them anymore now that I have to work while they get to go to school.”

*Name changed to protect identity.

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Has child labor increased or decreased over time?

According to a joint UNICEF and ILO publication, child labor worldwide increased to 160 million in 2020, up by 8.4 million in several years. This marked the first halt in global progress to end child labor in over two decades. In sub-Saharan Africa, factors like population growth and extreme poverty added 16.6 million children to child labor in the last several years. UNICEF and the ILO emphasized that the global impacts of COVID-19 and extreme weather events could threaten millions of additional children.

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What is World Vision doing to end child labor?

At World Vision, we strive to eliminate child labor and help equip communities for long-term transformation. By placing children at the heart of our work, we empower them to understand their rights and strive toward their own well-being. Together with parents and communities, we support the building of protective environments, working toward a world where no child’s future is stolen by labor exploitation.

Our initiatives focus on:

• Enhancing teaching quality and improving learning spaces through educational services
• Supporting parents to improve their incomes and food security, eliminating the need for children to work
• Advocating for the enactment and enforcement of national child labor laws, including children working in mines
• Promoting social accountability for communities, governments, and businesses
• Equipping communities, including faith leaders, parents, and community groups, to monitor vulnerable children to prevent hazardous work
• Promoting decent work for youth who are above the minimum working age through training, life skills, and entrepreneurship, coupled with access to savings and credit services

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Discover more about World Vision’s Bright Futures project aimed at reducing child labor in Honduras.

How can I help end child labor?

• Pray: Join us in praying for all children who are trapped in labor.
• Give: Support programs that aim to protect kids from labor and other forms of exploitation, abuse, and violence.
• Sponsor a child: By investing in a child’s life, you’ll help equip them for brighter futures. Child sponsorship benefits entire communities through programs like education and resources that help children stay in school and create better job opportunities for them to pursue as adults.

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Child labor history

Throughout history, children have supported their families through farming and handicrafts. However, the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries brought about significant changes, leading to the exploitation of children in factories and farms under hazardous conditions. This prompted the creation of laws to regulate working conditions for kids and mandate education. Key milestones in child labor history:

1938: The U.S. Fair Labor Standards Act restricted the hours and types of jobs for individuals under age 16.

1973: The Minimum Age Convention, ratified by 172 countries, established the minimum age for employment with some exceptions.

1989: The U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child was enacted to ensure the protection of children’s rights to develop and thrive.

1992: The International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) was established to promote the global eradication of this practice and to support countries in their efforts.

1999: The Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, ratified by 186 countries, mandated the elimination of practices such as slavery, human trafficking, debt bondage, forced labor in armed conflict, prostitution, pornography, drug trafficking, and other illegal activities.

2021: The U.N. General Assembly declared 2021 as the Year for the Elimination of Child Labor.

2025: Target 8.7 of the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals seeks to end all forms of child labor by 2025.

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Sevil Omer of World Vision’s U.S. staff contributed to this article.

The post Child labor: Facts, FAQs, and how to help appeared first on World Vision.

Ongoing instability in Venezuela has made an already severe humanitarian crisis, placing millions of Venezuelans at greater risk of hunger, displacement, and uncertainty. Children remain among the most vulnerable, facing rising food insecurity, disrupted education, and limited access to essential services.

As families struggle to cope, many are forced to make impossible choices — whether to stay at home with few resources or undertake dangerous journeys for safety and stability. Across the region, neighboring countries are hosting millions of Venezuelan refugees and migrants, straining communities already under pressure.

Venezuela crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how you can help

• Fast facts: Venezuela crisis
• Why is Venezuela in crisis right now?
• How many people have fled Venezuela?
• Where are Venezuelan migrants and refugees going?
• What’s the difference between a migrant, a refugee, and an asylum-seeker?
• How is the Venezuela crisis affecting children?
• How is World Vision responding to the Venezuela crisis?
• How is World Vision helping children affected by the Venezuela crisis?
• How can I help people affected by the Venezuela crisis?

Fast facts: Venezuela crisis

• As of May 2025, over 6.8 million Venezuelans have left the country since 2014, making this one of the world’s largest displacement crises.
• The majority of Venezuelan refugees and migrants — approximately 6.7 million — reside in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Colombia hosts the highest concentration of Venezuelan migrants — 2.8 million.
• An estimated 7.6  million people still residing in Venezuela required humanitarian assistance in 2024.
• Migration of children and adolescents through the dangerous Darién Gap in Panama has increased by 40% so far in 2024, according to the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

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Why is Venezuela in crisis right now?

Venezuela is facing a prolonged crisis caused by years of hyperinflation, rampant corruption, economic mismanagement, and heavy dependence on oil revenues. Once one of the wealthiest nations in Latin America, Venezuela’s economy collapsed after a sharp drop in global oil prices and a steep decline in domestic oil production. 

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How many people have fled Venezuela?

As of May 2025, more than 6.8 million people have left Venezuela, making it one of the largest external displacement crises in the world.

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Where are Venezuelan migrants and refugees going?

Most Venezuelans have sought safety in neighboring countries. Of the millions of people who have left Venezuela, the majority have chosen to stay in Latin America and the Caribbean. Notably, Colombia has become the primary destination, hosting over 2.8 million refugees and migrants from Venezuela. Other significant destinations include:

• Peru: 1.6 million
• Brazil: 680,145
• Chile: 669,408

A dangerous exodus

As the crisis unfolds, people are taking dangerous journeys to reach their intended destinations. These treks are frequently taken on foot, and some even attempt risky sea voyages to nearby Caribbean islands.

The lack of proper documentation makes refugees and migrants vulnerable to exploitation and victimization at the hands of smugglers and traffickers who take advantage of their desperate situation.

Jasmina and her family, including her children pictured above, embarked on a years-long journey from Venezuela in search of better living conditions. They traveled hundreds of miles through the roads of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, enduring nights of sleeping on the streets with no permanent home. Their struggles included crossing the Darién Gap, a dangerous jungle route.

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What’s the difference between a migrant, a refugee, and an asylum-seeker?

A migrant is a person who moves from their usual place of residence, whether internally or internationally, regardless of their legal status or reasons for moving.

By contrast, a refugee is someone who flees their home country due to persecution, conflict, violence, or other circumstances that place them in need of international protection. Nearly 212,000 people who have left Venezuela are considered refugees, as they fled the country to escape violence.

Additionally, according to the UNHCR, as of mid-2023, nearly 1.2 million Venezuelans were asylum-seekers. An asylum-seeker is someone who applies for refugee status in another country and is awaiting a decision on their claim for protection.

Explore the world of refugees: Discover the facts and differences between asylum-seekers, migrants, and refugees.

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How is the Venezuela crisis affecting children?

Children and teens are among the most vulnerable in the Venezuela crisis. As families continue to move across borders, young people face serious risks that threaten their safety, health, and future development. Risks include:

• Violence
• Malnutrition
• Forced recruitment by armed groups
• Dropping out of school

Girls, children traveling alone, or those who are separated from their families face even greater threats. They are at high risk of trafficking, sexual exploitation, and abuse. Their mental health and psychosocial well-being are also threatened: reported cases of sexual violence have tripled, and suicide risk has increased over the last few years, according to UNICEF.

Dangerous migration routes pose additional threats. In early 2024, more than 30,000 children crossed the Darién Gap, a 40% increase from the previous year.

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How is World Vision responding to the Venezuela crisis?

Since 2019, World Vision has actively responded to the Venezuela crisis through our program “Hope at Home.” As of June 2025, we have supported over 2 million people through programs focused on child protection, education, food security, access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and livelihoods in Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

We’re also facilitating economic integration through employment support and training and mental health services for people impacted by the crisis. Collaboration with faith-based organizations is vital and enables us to offer safe spaces, skills training, and language classes. World Vision’s cash transfers and food aid have become an essential lifeline for thousands of people.

“… We have been committed to walking alongside migrant children and host communities in the region, bringing hope beyond borders through our projects and programs,” says Peter Gape, director of World Vision’s multi-country response to the migration crisis, “Hope at Home.”

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How is World Vision helping children affected by the Venezuela crisis?

World Vision serves vulnerable children and teens across Latin America through our “Hope at Home” initiative. In five countries affected by the Venezuela migration crisis — Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru — we offer:

Safe spaces and stronger systems

• In Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, we established Child-Friendly Spaces — safe, supportive environments where children can play, learn, and access psychosocial care services.
• We also strengthened local protection systems by training teachers and reinforcing child protection referral pathways.

Learning opportunities during crisis

In Chile, hundreds of migrant children have gained access to temporary classrooms and learning programs. After the forced eviction of a migrant camp, our teams responded swiftly with psychological support, recreational activities, and essential supplies for affected families.

Supporting through play

In Brazil, we supported children in processing their experiences through playful tools. Their responses showed positive feelings of protection and well-being in World Vision support spaces.

Assistance for families in transit

In Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, the online program, Routes of Hope, offers immediate assistance, case management support, and protection services to migrant families who face threats of violence and other safety concerns while traveling.

Youth leadership

In Ecuador, we supported youth-led networks in raising awareness and advocating for children’s needs, amplifying the voices of young migrants in their communities.

Resilience-building in Venezuela

We trained over 60 pastors and faith leaders in child protection and safeguarding, encouraging the development of protection protocols within churches. We also worked with local and national governments to strengthen child protection through participation in a cross-border forum.

In Colombia, we’re coming alongside children like Sofia and her mother, Mariangel, pictured above, to help build hope by taking care of their immediate needs and supporting their long-term aspirations for a better life.

We first met Sofia in 2019 when she was just 5 years old.

Sofia and her family arrived in Colombia in 2018, navigating perilous routes and settling in El Talento, a settlement for Colombian returnees and Venezuela migrants. Since 2020, World Vision has been providing crucial support to children like Sofia in El Talento.

Sofia thrived in the UNICEF and World Vision Learning Circles, an educational program aimed at helping students catch up in their studies. During one session, Sofia expressed her dream of a home. With building materials from World Vision and community support, Sofia’s family managed to build a house for the seven of them, including her parents and four siblings. From our partner organizations, the family also received food vouchers from the World Food Programme and money vouchers from the Ven Esperanza program, which they used for additional materials.

Despite losing their house in a landslide, Sofia and her family remain resilient. They now live in a rented two-room wooden house. Their determination and hope for a better future drive them forward.

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How can I help children and families affected by the Venezuela crisis?

You can support Venezuelans by remembering them in prayer and helping meet their needs.

• Pray: Join us in praying for all those affected by the crisis in Venezuela.
• Give to World Vision’s Disaster Relief Fund to address the needs of Venezuelans and other people facing crises.

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers.—Hebrews 13:1–2 (NIV)

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Laura Reinhardt of World Vision’s U.S. staff contributed to this article.

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Children deserve to grow up in safety and love. But in some parts of the world, danger shadows every moment of childhood. These are not just risky places for travelers — they’re home to millions of children who wake up each day surrounded by war, hunger, and instability.

Below, we highlight 10 of the most dangerous places for children today, along with their stories of courage and resilience. Throughout our 75 years of work, we’ve seen one truth in the hardest places to be a child: danger is constant — but so is hope.

The top 10 most dangerous places

Click a country name to go directly to its section. In alphabetical order:

• Afghanistan
• Central African Republic
• Colombia
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Gaza and the West Bank
• Haiti
• Myanmar
• Sudan
• Syria
• Yemen

Frequently asked questions

• What is the most dangerous country for children in 2025?
• Why are these countries dangerous for children?
• How does World Vision help children in conflict zones?
• How can I help children living in the world’s most dangerous places?

Afghanistan

Children and families in Afghanistan face daily life marked by hunger and hidden dangers. These challenges include:

• Political instability
• Limited access to healthcare, education, and employment
• Severe restrictions on women’s rights
• Malnutrition and widespread drought
• Unexploded weapons ordnance threatening lives

“We had no idea that land was dangerous. These are lands our families have farmed for generations. Our children played there all the time. No one warned us,” said Sharafuddin, whose sons, 12-year-old Salahuddin and 10-year-old Najmuddin, were killed by a mine while playing on their family farm in May 2025.

“I had so many hopes for them. In one moment, everything collapsed,” says Sharafuddin.

Afghanistan is one of the most heavily mine-contaminated countries in the world.

“The risk is real. Our teams have unknowingly driven over UXOs [Unexploded Explosive Ordnance] before, thankfully, without incident. But with no comprehensive maps or warning systems in place, the threat is everywhere,” said Hayatullah Tayeeq, World Vision’s zonal manager in Badghis, Afghanistan. “It hasn’t stopped us from delivering aid, but it adds an invisible layer of danger to every field visit.”

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Central African Republic (CAR)

The Central African Republic has faced decades of violent uprisings and broken peace deals. Since 2013, ongoing conflict and instability have displaced millions of people. The ongoing challenges include:

• Protracted conflict has led to widespread violence, insecurity, and displacement.
• Approximately 79% of the population lives in extreme poverty.
• Grave violations against children are among the highest in the world, including:
  • Recruitment and use by armed groups
  • Abduction
  • Sexual violence
• One of the world’s highest child mortality rates due to preventable diseases, hunger, and lack of healthcare.

Children like Richard (pictured above) in the CAR face staggering challenges, including one of the highest child mortality rates in the world. In displacement camps, their most urgent needs are food, water, and shelter. But as settlements become more established, recovery begins — and so does education, often under tarps or in makeshift classrooms.

That’s when a birth certificate becomes crucial.

“I’m happy to receive the birth certificate because it helps me to be recognized. To be someone,” said Richard.

Without legal documentation, children cannot take national exams, graduate from school, or obtain an ID or passport. Birth certificates open doors to opportunity — and affirm a child’s identity and future.

“The importance of a birth certificate is that it allows you to take an exam, like the B.E.C., or earn a diploma, or get a passport. It affirms who I am,” he said.

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Colombia

As the primary host country for Venezuelan refugees and migrants, Colombia has become one of the most dangerous places for children affected by the regional migration crisis. Instead of finding safety there, many face new dangers:

• Recruitment by armed groups
• Gender-based violence and sexual exploitation
• Trafficking and family separation
• Lack of access to education, healthcare, and shelter
• Psychological trauma from violence and displacement

Armed conflict, violence, displacement, and humanitarian gaps have created multiple layers of risk, particularly in border and conflict-affected regions like Catatumbo.

More than 2.8 million Venezuelans, including 800,000 children, are living in Colombia. Children describe life in Colombia’s conflict zones as terrifying. Aime, a 14-year-old from Venezuela, told UNICEF, “We can’t leave our houses after 9 p.m. We can’t even go to the store because of the fear that they’ll take us away or they will recruit us. Young people are taken, without understanding what they are going to do to them. They are taken by force.”

“Entire families, including children and adolescents, have been forced to leave their homes in search of refuge in other parts of the country and at the border with Venezuela,” said Peter Gape, national director for World Vision in Colombia and Venezuela. “We ask for your prayers for those suffering from this crisis, for our team working tirelessly to provide humanitarian aid, and for a prompt resolution that brings peace and hope to the affected communities.”

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Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

In the eastern DRC, spikes in violence are a continual threat, especially against children. The United Nations reports that children are being recruited and armed, which is a grave violation of international law. In South Kivu, thousands have been displaced, and millions of children face increased risks of exploitation, trauma, hunger, and disease outbreaks. The ongoing challenges include:

• Over 15 million children live in instability.
• A deadly cholera epidemic has spread across six provinces, with more than 18,000 cases and 364 deaths reported since January 2025.
• Flooding and unsafe water increase the threat of illness
• In mining provinces like Lualaba and Haut-Katanga, child labor is widespread. Tens of thousands of children work in cobalt and copper extraction.

In towns like Kakanda, children as young as 6 work to support their families by selling food on the streets, carrying water, or caring for younger siblings. Children like the young girl shown above dig through toxic rubble with their bare hands, hoping to earn enough for a meal. Without safety gear, they risk injury, illness, or even death. Eleven-year-old Chantal* (not pictured) began working in the mines at age 9 after her father died. “I haven’t been to school in three months,” says Chantal*, who cooks and cleans for her family instead of attending class. “Sometimes I was so tired I’d fall asleep on the ground, right among the rocks,” she says.

Though Congolese law prohibits underage labor in mining, extreme poverty forces many families to rely on income from their children. Most earn less than $2 a day.

*Names changed to protect identity

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Gaza and the West Bank

Children in Gaza face unparalleled hardships, with no safe place to seek refuge amid a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Movement restrictions and displacements are causing a spiraling economic crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, as families are unable to harvest crops and have depleted their savings. Many people in the West Bank are experiencing acute food insecurity, with nearly half a million facing severe hunger. Since January 2025, an escalation of armed violence has devastated cities across the northern West Bank, displacing over 40,000 people, destroying homes, and forcing dozens of schools to close. The ongoing challenges include:

• Death and injury from armed conflict, famine conditions, severe malnutrition, and starvation.
• Access to food, clean water, and medical care is severely limited.
• Trauma and protection risks rise for children, especially those separated from their families.

World Vision currently operates in the West Bank and broader Middle East region, providing emergency humanitarian aid and support.

Suha, a 30-year-old mother from the Tulkarem Refugee Camp in the northern West Bank, never imagined she would be uprooted from her home with nothing but a few clothes for her daughter.

“We had a routine, a home, and hope,” she says. But when her family was ordered to leave, they had minutes to pack. Later, when Suha and her husband returned to retrieve their belongings, they were shot at. “We had to run for our lives. We left everything behind in the street.”

Suha, her husband, and daughter first found shelter in an overcrowded family home before moving in with her parents. Her husband is now unemployed, and the family relies entirely on humanitarian aid.

“It breaks our hearts,” Suha says. “We feel ashamed to ask for help, but we have no other choice.”

Suha has not yet been able to re-enroll her daughter in kindergarten due to financial hardship. The family’s future remains uncertain.

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Haiti

Horrific violence, political collapse, and natural disasters, including Hurricane Melissa in late October 2025, have pushed Haiti into a free fall. Armed groups control large parts of the capital, cutting families off from food and medical care. The major challenges include:

• Over 5 million people need humanitarian assistance.
• Over 1 million people face emergency levels of food insecurity.
• Gang violence, kidnappings, and sexual violence are widespread.
• Earthquakes and extreme storms further destabilize vulnerable communities.

Wista, a small business owner, fled with her 5-year-old daughter, Judenie (both pictured above), after gangs threatened to overrun their community. “I had no choice but to leave everything behind,” Wista said. Their journey to safety involved crossing rivers, accidents, and days on foot.

“The little girl walked and walked for miles, but she found the strength in God to continue. I was in pain. We crossed rivers on a small canoe,” Wista said. They traveled on motorcycles that crashed into rocks. “I wanted to lie down in the bushes and sleep forever. But I kept thinking of my daughter and the need to protect her.”

At a shelter, Wista was too weak to eat or drink. Judenie, missing her school and friends, said quietly, “I was scared and tired. But Mama said we have to move.” “

Though they escaped the violence, the trauma remains. Wista reflected, “All I wanted was to protect my daughter and survive. But I never imagined how hard the road would be.”

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Myanmar

Children in Myanmar are experiencing a deepening humanitarian crisis marked by displacement, violence, and hunger. The situation has been exacerbated by a magnitude 7.7 earthquake on March 28, 2025, near Mandalay and Sagaing, causing widespread destruction. The major challenges include:

• More than 3,100 people have died, and over 4,800 are injured.
• Thousands of homes, schools, hospitals, roads, and bridges have been damaged or destroyed, cutting off access to essential services. 
• Food insecurity, already high, has worsened as the quake further restricted access to food and clean water.
• Natural disasters, including flooding and cyclones, continue to challenge communities, compounding risks during crises.

Children like Alinka had their lives turned upside down in seconds.

“I was playing when the earthquake hit,” says Alinka from one of the hardest-hit areas near Mandalay. The walls shook violently, and as she clung to a door, it collapsed on her. Alinka broke her leg and needed surgery to recover.

About 50 homes in their village were destroyed, along with the school, the local monastery, and the community water supply. Families have slept outside, fearful of aftershocks.

The disaster has also disrupted livelihoods. Alinka’s family, who sell goods in the market, are struggling with rising prices and damaged roads.

“With monsoon season around the corner, the threat of diseases like diarrhea and dengue is growing fast. Children’s lives are still at risk. We need your help now more than ever to ensure the most vulnerable children are not forgotten,” said Dr. Kyi Minn, World Vision’s national director in Myanmar.

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Sudan

Conflict has engulfed Sudan since April 2023, forcing millions from their homes and plunging the country into a deepening humanitarian crisis. The challenges include:

• An estimated 14.6 million people fled their communities — the world’s largest displacement crisis
• Widespread violence, including sexual violence against women and girls
• Acute hunger affecting over 17 million people
• Deadly cholera outbreak spreading across 17 of 18 states

Conflict has forced families to flee with little more than the clothes on their backs. In Port Sudan, World Vision supports displaced communities with essentials like access to clean water, shelter kits, psychosocial support, and more. But insecurity continues to limit humanitarian access, even as a deadly cholera outbreak spreads, endangering already vulnerable children and families.

Sinein and his mother, Assanea, are the only survivors of their family after fleeing conflict in Sudan.

“I lost my children and my husband, who was my backbone. …” Assanea said. After seeking safety in Chad, they face the heartbreak of starting over. “If I found a secure place to stay, that is enough for me. I can’t go home — there’s no one and nothing there for me.”

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Syria

Syria remains one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a child — not only because of violence, but because of the invisible, long-lasting wounds of displacement and trauma. The challenges include:

• More than 14 years of war and widespread displacement.
• Devastating earthquakes in 2023 destroyed homes, schools, and healthcare centers.
• Return of refugees to a conflict-ridden country.
• Malnutrition and water scarcity.
• Protection threats: exploitation, abuse, and loss of education.

In early 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck both Syria and Turkey (officially the Republic of Türkiye), affecting nearly 9 million people who had already been impacted by war and displacement. In southern Türkiye, near the Syrian border, thousands of Syrian refugees, many fleeing conflict for over a decade, lived through destruction once more.

Sara (pictured above) is among those affected by displacement. The Syrian teen has lived in Şanlıurfa, Turkey, for 13 years and has experienced many struggles of displacement. She recalled one fire that swept through her last displacement camp. “I still remember how it roared through container by container.… That day was so hard.”

Through initiatives like the LIFT Project, World Vision is helping young survivors like Sara rebuild their inner worlds and rediscover joy, connection, and hope.

Sara stepped into the role of a facilitator on April 23, 2025, painting children’s faces and spreading smiles. “I want to go back to school next year and become a doctor — a child doctor — to help kids like me everywhere,” she said.

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Yemen

Nearly a decade of conflict. Yemen’s children face one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, marked by hunger, disease, and collapsing health systems. The challenges include:

• Ongoing airstrikes and conflict continue to endanger lives.
• Four out of 5 children need humanitarian assistance.
• 3.2 million children are out of school and at risk of exploitation.
• Millions of people lack access to safe water and sanitation.

Hamdi, a nurse at a World Vision–supported clinic in Al Milah District, Lahj Governorate, says poverty is the No. 1 enemy. Many families must skip meals, and a lack of nutrition knowledge also contributes to child malnutrition, Hamdi said.

Since World Vision and partner organization Medair began their outreach, community health has improved. Parents are learning to spot and treat malnutrition early, helping turn despair into hope.

Hadi, the clinic manager, added: “With the support of World Vision and Medair, the clinic became a vital hub for food and medical assistance.”

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Frequently asked questions

What is the most dangerous country for children in 2025?

While all 10 countries listed face extreme threats, Gaza, Sudan, and Yemen are experiencing some of the worst humanitarian conditions, including severe hunger, displacement, and the collapse of essential services.

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Why are these countries dangerous for children?

These countries are marked by armed conflict, forced displacement, hunger, disease outbreaks, and limited access to education and protection. Children are at risk of recruitment by armed groups, trafficking, malnutrition, and even death.

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How does World Vision help children in conflict zones?

World Vision works in many of the world’s most fragile countries to provide lifesaving assistance, including access to clean water, nutritious food, healthcare, psychosocial support, and child protection programs.

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How can I help children living in the world’s most dangerous places?

You can support children in crisis by:

• Giving: Your gift can deliver hope and practical help to children and families when disasters and conflict strike in the most dangerous places.
• Sponsoring a child: Help equip a child, their family, and community for a brighter future. Sponsorship helps meet urgent needs today — and supports lasting empowerment through physical and spiritual resources.

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*The following list was compiled using the latest data from humanitarian agencies and global monitoring organizations, including the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Food Programme (WFP). World Vision’s program insights and response updates from 2023 to 2025 also informed the selection. Countries were chosen based on the severity of threats facing children, including conflict, displacement, hunger, disease outbreaks, and barriers to education and protection. While this list highlights urgent but less-publicized crises, World Vision’s disaster relief efforts in major emergencies — including the Middle East crisis, war in Ukraine, and the Venezuela crisis — continue unabated.

The post Top 10 most dangerous places in the world to be a child appeared first on World Vision.

Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record, devastated the Caribbean in late October 2025. Making landfall in Jamaica on October 28, 2025, as a Category 5 hurricane, Melissa unleashed catastrophic winds and torrential rain, especially in Jamaica’s most vulnerable parishes. The storm destroyed homes, knocked out power and communications, and cut off access to rural communities.

Across the region, including the Dominican Republic and Haiti, Melissa triggered widespread flooding and deadly landslides. Millions of residents were displaced, and food and water insecurity surged, placing children at extreme risk. Relief efforts are underway to support families affected by Hurricane Melissa’s destruction.

Hurricane Melissa: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

• Fast Facts: Hurricane Melissa
• What’s the latest update on Hurricane Melissa?
• How did Hurricane Melissa affect the Caribbean?
• How is World Vision helping communities in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa?
• What’s World Vision doing to support Haiti and the Dominican Republic?
• What challenges do children face after Hurricane Melissa?
• How can I help people affected by Hurricane Melissa and other disasters?

Fast Facts: Hurricane Melissa

• Formed on October 21, 2025, as the 13th named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.
• Rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane on October 27, 2025.
• Reached maximum sustained winds at 185 mph, with higher gusts, according to NOAA.
• Made landfall in Jamaica on October 28, 2025, causing catastrophic winds, torrential rains, and flooding.
• The storm affected millions across the Caribbean, including Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.
• At least 76 people confirmed died across the region: Haiti (43 deaths, including 10 children), Jamaica (32 deaths), and the Dominican Republic (1 death). Many others are missing.
• Affected an estimated 700,000 children across the Caribbean.
• World Vision and partners are supporting impacted communities with emergency relief and recovery in Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.

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What’s the latest update on Hurricane Melissa?

Hurricane Melissa struck the Caribbean as one of the strongest Atlantic storms on record. On November 3, 2025, the National Hurricane Center stopped tracking the storm, confirming that it had transitioned into a post-tropical cyclone and dissipated over the North Atlantic.

Efforts are now focused on search, rescue, and recovery in the impacted regions, including Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba.

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How did Hurricane Melissa affect the Caribbean?

Hurricane Melissa brought catastrophic destruction to the Caribbean, leaving millions displaced and communities isolated. Across the region, homes, schools, roads, and infrastructure were severely damaged, and access to clean water and food has become a critical concern.

Country-specific impacts:

Jamaica: Nearly half a million people remain without power in western parishes. Buildings, homes, schools, and roads are severely damaged, and communities remain cut off. The storm claimed at least 32 lives.

Haiti: At least 43 people, including 10 children, have died, and others are missing. Thousands of homes were flooded or destroyed. Over 1,700 people remain in emergency shelters. Flooding and landslides threaten food systems and public health in an already vulnerable country.

Dominican Republic: Heavy rains, flooding, and landslides have damaged homes and roads, displacing hundreds of people and creating urgent needs for safe drinking water and sanitation. Authorities reported one fatality.

Cuba: Hundreds of thousands were evacuated from eastern provinces ahead of the storm. Many people are returning, but power outages, blocked roads, and downed power lines and transformers continue.

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How is World Vision helping communities in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa?

While World Vision doesn’t have ongoing operations in Jamaica, we are responding through church partnerships and early recovery programs  in the hardest-hit western parishes.

Cut-off communities and downed communication lines have made it hard to reach families who need help most, says Mike Bassett, World Vision’s national director of domestic humanitarian and emergency affairs. “We’re working with partners to deliver supplies and reach families in the hardest-hit areas.”

Bassett, who traveled to the town of Santa Cruz in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, shared with the Associated Press: “People are in shock and they’re waiting on relief. … The biggest needs are clean water, tarps for roof damage, canned proteins, hygiene, and cleaning supplies.”

Immediate efforts will focus on delivering essential items, including food, clean water, shelter kits, and other necessities.

In the first 30 days, World Vision and partners, including Send Relief, will:

• Distribute temporary shelter support to families whose homes are uninhabitable by providing tarpaulins and fastening kits for quick roof coverage and weatherproofing.
• Deliver 8,000 Crisis Relief Boxes, which will provide five days of food for approximately 40,000 people. We will also collaborate with local food producers to restore supply chains and support community markets.
• Ensure access to safe drinking water through two mobile water treatment systems, known as Water on Wheels Carts, for both emergency and long-term use. These units, along with bottled water and a disinfectant device, will be distributed to impacted communities.
• Supply essential nonfood items, including hygiene kits, bedding, generators, storage containers, flood buckets, and cleaning supplies.

Calvary Baptist Church Pastor Michael Shim-Hue in Montego Bay, Jamaica, described the disaster: “The people lost everything — water, food, and their dignity. [Storm] water came in. No food, electricity. No water to drink. Nowhere to sleep. What happened to them happened to their neighbors. It’s heartbreaking.”

Through the destruction, he holds onto hope. “Thank you, World Vision, for your contributions. It will help,” he said. “Little is much when God is in it.”

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What’s World Vision doing to support Haiti and the Dominican Republic?

In Haiti, where we have a strong presence, our disaster relief efforts are focusing on the most impacted communities, including Baradères, Petit Trou, and Anse-à-Veau, where 10,000 people urgently need aid. Also, boats are delivering emergency supplies to isolated areas, including:

• Hygiene kits with essential items to support health and sanitation
• Kitchen kits with basic supplies to ensure families can prepare meals 
• Shelter kits with materials that support temporary housing and protection

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Enize, a pregnant mother of seven, clings to her faith and family. “I thank God my children are alive,” says Enize (pictured above), surrounded by five of her children in Haiti.

As floodwaters from Hurricane Melissa surged through her home in late October 2025, Enize desperately held onto the youngest children, praying they’d survive the night. She recalled their terror: “When I got up, the house was already flooded. The children were crying, ‘Mom, Mom, we are drowning.’”

The storm swept away their home, their animals — including a mule, goats, and chickens — and destroyed their crops. Enize, her husband, Frandy, their children, and Enize’s brother are now sheltered at a neighbor’s house.

The neighboring Dominican Republic has also experienced devastating losses. In the Dominican Republic, we’re supporting children and families affected by the hurricane with emergency aid in San Cristóbal and Santo Domingo provinces.

Through these efforts, World Vision is working to ensure that children and families in Jamaica, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic can receive urgent assistance in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.

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What challenges do children face after Hurricane Melissa?

Children are among the most vulnerable to Hurricane Melissa’s destruction. Displacement, unsafe shelter, disrupted schooling, malnutrition, and increased risk of waterborne illnesses and exploitation are immediate concerns.

In Haiti, pre-existing vulnerabilities were severe: nearly 5 million people — half of them children — are facing severe hunger and food insecurity. Hurricane Melissa further threatens public health and local food systems, creating compounding crises for children and families.

“Children and families in Haiti are facing compounding crises,” said Lesly Michaud, national program director in Haiti. “We are committed to standing with communities through this storm and beyond, ensuring they receive the support they need to recover and rebuild.”

World Vision warns that Hurricane Melissa could further devastate food systems and set back recovery efforts amid ongoing violence and displacement.

“Food insecurity has been plaguing Haiti for the past year or so, where more than half of the population is food insecure,” said Guy F. Vital-Herne, communications manager for World Vision in Haiti. “The impact that we are seeing so far of Hurricane Melissa is putting more pressure now on some populations, with many crops being destroyed right now.”

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How can I help people affected by Hurricane Melissa and other disasters?

• Pray: Join us in praying for all those impacted by Hurricane Melissa and other disasters around the world.
• Give: Your gift will help deliver urgent aid to children and families impacted by this hurricane and other disasters around the world.

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Amy Van Drunen of World Vision U.S. contributed to this article.

The post Hurricane Melissa: Facts, FAQs, and how to help appeared first on World Vision.