Simone Mane is the national director of World Vision in Sudan. He shares a critical update on the escalating situation in the country.

Malnourished children in Sudan’s Darfur region will become nearly unreachable as the four-month rainy season begins in June. Humanitarian aid routes into Darfur from Chad turn impassable, as roads dissolve into flooded wadis and thick, wheel-sucking “black cotton” mud, cutting off access to the care and nutrition children urgently need.

As Sudan enters its fourth year of conflict, the country is at a breaking point. More than 12 million people have fled violence, agricultural production is collapsing, and funding shortages are forcing many agencies to leave or cut operations.

Across the nation, tens of millions of Sudanese are struggling to survive after fleeing their communities to camps in remote and inhospitable locations, and in the mountains, without any belongings and no access to water or food.

Risk of starvation among children

Without urgent action, Sudan’s most vulnerable people, especially malnourished children, face a growing risk of starvation. Sustained humanitarian access, expanded food assistance, and innovative delivery methods are critical to preventing widespread loss of life.

More than 10 million people are experiencing extreme or severe levels of food insecurity, uncertain of where their next meal is coming from. Many families rely on already-stretched host communities, search for wild food, or wait for infrequent aid deliveries of wheat, millet, and pulses such as lentils, peas, and beans that must travel over 1,677 miles from Cameroon’s port of Douala, into Chad, and then across the border into Darfur, Sudan.

In places like the mountainous region of Jabal Marra in western Sudan, women who fled the recent brutal siege of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, say they have not had food in more than four months and are now feeding their children one or, at most, two meagre meals of sorghum a day. This is the hot season before the rains come in June, when temperatures reach 104 degrees Fahrenheit, and almost nothing grows.

An estimated 800,000 children — most of them in the Darfur and Kordofan regions — are at immediate risk of death without urgent nutritional support. As the rainy season begins, the risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera, typhoid, mosquito-borne malaria, and diarrheal illnesses, will further increase, particularly among the already malnourished children.

A complex response to help the most vulnerable

Expanded humanitarian access during the rainy season will be critical to reach those most in need. This includes ensuring safe passage for aid, protecting supply routes, and enabling pre-positioning of food before roads become inaccessible. Without storage capacity, it becomes much harder to sustain distributions throughout the rainy months.

At least 168,000 tons of food is required to address the hunger crisis over the coming months. Logistical challenges mean that only supplies already in transit are likely to reach some of the affected areas in time. Aside from humanitarian aid, the Chad-Sudan border is closed to normal trade due to drone strikes inside Chad.

Air delivery of food remains a last resort option. The Ilyushin Il-76 cargo planes typically carry only up to 50 tons of food, enough to feed up to 5,000 people for a month on reduced rations, far short of what is needed at this scale.

Sachets of Ready-to-Use-Therapeutic Food (RUTF) — a high-energy peanut paste for children at extreme risk of death — could be parachuted in for children on the brink of death. But this is specialized therapeutic food and would need to be collected at designated drop zones by aid workers to ensure it reaches those managing the therapeutic feeding centers. If the armed groups opened their airports to allow humanitarian food flights in, that would be even better.

In a region so cut off, another critical option is digital cash assistance. This relies on satellite-based connectivity, which in many areas has replaced damaged mobile networks. These connections have become a lifeline, allowing people to contact relatives, access support, and get digital cash transfers.

Humanitarian agencies can also use these systems to transfer funds to those most in need through mobile applications. Sudan’s most malnourished typically don’t have mobile phones, so the aid agency works through trusted financial agents, who convert digital funds into cash and distribute it to registered families.

Ultimately, saving lives at this scale will require multiple approaches, rapidly expanded and focused on those most at risk.

Humanitarian agencies can’t move enough food by road before the rains. Airdrops, especially of lifesaving therapeutic food, can help sustain the most vulnerable children and mothers. At the same time, digital cash assistance can support local markets and extend reach into inaccessible areas.

Ensuring sustained humanitarian access and safe passage for aid remains one of the most significant challenges.

Funding is another major constraint. The World Food Programme supports over 4 million people each month but has been forced to reduce rations due to funding shortfalls. Approximately 700 million is urgently needed to maintain food assistance.

World Vision continues to provide lifesaving support to the most severely malnourished children, including therapeutic feeding, but we need to keep the supplies flowing.

The U.N. says overall, Sudan needs nearly $3 billion to deliver humanitarian services to 20.4 million people in need. Only 16.1% has been pledged so far.

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The post Sudan crisis: Stories of survival, hope, and relief appeared first on World Vision.

Famine conditions confirmed in North Darfur, Sudan. Help now:

The humanitarian crisis in Sudan is one of the largest in the world today, with millions of children facing hunger, displacement, disease, and loss of access to education and protection as conflict continues into its fourth year.

 Sudan crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

• Fast facts: Sudan crisis
• What is the current situation in Sudan?
• Is Sudan at risk of widespread famine?
• What is the impact on women and girls?
• How has the conflict affected Sudan’s people?
• How has the conflict impacted children in Sudan?
• How is the cholera outbreak affecting Sudan’s children and families?
• How many people has World Vision supported in the crisis in Sudan?
• Where has World Vision worked in Sudan, and for how long?
• How can I help children and families affected by the crisis in Sudan?

Fast facts: Sudan crisis

• People in need: Approximately 33.7 million people across Sudan need urgent humanitarian aid.
• Mass displacement: An estimated 13 to 14 million people have been forced from their homes since the conflict escalated in 2023.
• Acute food insecurity: More than 21 million people face acute food insecurity.
• Extreme hunger: Parts of North Darfur, including the Zamzam camp, south of El Fasher, are experiencing famine conditions.
• Risk of famine: The Integrated Food Security Classification (IPC) Famine Review Committee (FRC) warns that other regions may face famine without swift humanitarian aid.
• Health emergency: Disease outbreaks, including cholera, malaria, measles, and dengue fever, are rising due to disrupted health services.
• Education loss: With most schools closed or struggling to reopen, approximately 10.5 million children need educational support.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

What is the current situation in Sudan?

The conflict in Sudan has entered its fourth year, creating one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the world. Entire communities have been destroyed, and essential systems, including health care, education, water, and protection, have largely collapsed. In places like El Fasher, the regional capital of North Darfur, renewed fighting in 2026 has forced thousands more families to flee into overcrowded and under-resourced camps.

Children are especially vulnerable. In some displacement sites, World Vision teams are identifying a sign of widespread family separation. Children arriving from El Fasher are now living in overcrowded, makeshift shelters, often sharing small spaces with multiple families. These conditions leave women and unaccompanied children especially vulnerable. Families lack access to safe drinking water, food, household supplies, warm clothing, and healthcare.

World Vision’s Sudan National Director Simon Mane said: “Behind every statistic is a child who has lost their home, their school, and their safety.”

BACK TO QUESTIONS

Is Sudan at risk of widespread famine?

Yes, Sudan’s food security situation is among the worst in the world. Famine conditions have been confirmed in certain areas, including North Darfur’s Zamzam camp, south of El Fasher, where ongoing fighting has intensified.

The last famine was declared in East Africa in South Sudan in 2017, and before that, in Somalia in 2011. In both situations, hundreds of thousands of lives were lost, and children suffered long-term impacts from malnutrition and loss of agricultural outputs.

With more than 21 million people facing acute food insecurity in 2026, children are the most affected.

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What is the impact on women and girls?

Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the Sudan crisis. Millions of women and girls in Sudan are at risk of various forms of violence, including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse — with displaced, refugee, and migrant women and girls facing heightened danger. 

Widespread shortages of food and essential resources leave women struggling to provide for their families. Reports of violence are rising, and girls face increased risks of child marriage, hazardous work, and exploitation.

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How has the conflict affected Sudan’s people?

The ongoing conflict in Sudan has had devastating effects on its people, with the U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reporting that 1 in 2 people in Sudan require humanitarian aid. Millions of people have been displaced and face immense uncertainty. Even before the conflict, many people faced hunger daily as a result of climate shocks, rising food prices, and political unrest.

The ongoing conflict has intensified pre-existing challenges, including:

• Acute shortages of food, water, medicines, and fuel, with prices of essential items and transportation sharply increasing.
• Limited or no access to healthcare services. Armed hostilities have affected a majority of health facilities in conflict zones, rendering them non-operational, and the remaining facilities are stretched beyond capacity.
• Forced displacement in various states, including Khartoum, Northern, Blue Nile, North Kordofan, North Darfur, West Darfur, and South Darfur. Many from these areas have fled to the neighboring countries of the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, and South Sudan.
• Sexual violence, which has been reported with increasing frequency. Protection of children and women is an urgent priority.
• Fear and insecurity. Armed combatants have been occupying homes and reportedly some hospitals and schools, attacking water and electrical infrastructure.

“This is confirmation of our worst fears coming to fruition — that thousands of people, including vulnerable children, will die from starvation,” said Sandoval Sr. “My prayer is that this will be a wake-up call for the world to pay attention to what’s happening in Sudan and mobilize resources to help. We are calling for unhindered, consistent access for humanitarian workers to get aid to the people who most need it. We must act now.”

BACK TO QUESTIONS

How has the conflict impacted children in Sudan?

Children are shouldering the heaviest burden of this devastating crisis, facing violence and hunger that threaten their lives and future opportunities. More children are displaced in Sudan than anywhere else in the world.

More children are displaced here than anywhere else in the world, and many have been separated from their families, some arriving in camps completely alone.

Across the country, children are not only going hungry but are also losing access to school, health care, and safe places to live. Homes, schools, and hospitals have been damaged or destroyed, stripping away the systems meant to protect them.

In South Darfur, Omer, 9, represents the physical toll of a nation gripped by hunger. Suffering from stunted growth, he lacks the energy to play and survives on just one bowl of plain porridge a day—or goes without food entirely. “My legs feel heavy, and my stomach always hurts. I am just so tired. I don’t want to play; I just want the hunger to stop,” Omer says.

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How is the cholera outbreak affecting Sudan’s children and families?

Millions of Sudanese children are at grave risk due to a deadly and rapidly spreading cholera outbreak. Since January 2025, more than 700 people have died — including children — and over 32,000 suspected cases have been reported. The disease now affects 17 of Sudan’s 18 states, compounding the suffering of families already devastated by conflict, hunger, forced displacement, and a collapsing healthcare system.

Among the most vulnerable are the 3.2 million malnourished children under 5. With weakened immune systems, these children face a significantly higher risk of dying from cholera and other preventable waterborne diseases. The rainy season has accelerated the spread, especially in overcrowded sites hosting internally displaced people and refugees.

“This is not just a public health crisis — it is a crisis of childhood, of dignity, and of survival,” said Simon Mane, World Vision’s national director in Sudan. “Children are dying from preventable diseases because we lack adequate resources to respond.”

World Vision is responding with access to lifesaving water, sanitation, and health (WASH) services, despite limited resources. In the hardest-hit states of Blue Nile, Red Sea, East Darfur, South Kordofan, and South Darfur, World Vision has delivered cholera treatment kits to nearly 9,000 people and provided emergency WASH services to over 25,000.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

How many people has World Vision supported in the crisis in Sudan?

World Vision has reached more than 5 million people in Sudan and in the region since the start of our response in 2023, most of them women and children — delivering lifesaving aid including food, access to clean water, child protection support, health and nutrition programs, sanitation and hygiene solutions, and more.

Among the lives touched by our support are twin boys Adam and Adeeb (pictured above at 21 months in May 2024) whose story shows both the challenges and hope within the crisis. Their mother, Tahani, undertook a courageous journey from her community in Sudan to the border of Chad, walking all the way to Farchana with one of the twins in her arms while a relative carried the other. “I faced shooting and people killing people on the road when I started coming,” Tahani said. “Houses and villages were on fire.”

When our staff met the twins in May 2024, they were severely malnourished. Adam weighed only 13 pounds.

While they endured unimaginable violence and displacement, they are now finding strength through critical support — including nutrient-rich food — they’re accessing through a health center, which World Vision is helping to expand. Improvements, including new water systems and electricity, have strengthened the center’s ability to care for and treat malnutrition cases. The twins, pictured below in September 2024, are no longer in a critical state of malnutrition. Adam and Adeeb are being monitored during their recovery by World Vision staff.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

Where has World Vision worked in Sudan, and for how long?

One of the largest humanitarian aid organizations in Sudan, we are headquartered in Khartoum. Our local staff work with volunteers and partners primarily in four states: South Darfur, Blue Nile, East Darfur, and South Kordofan. We’ve served children and families in Sudan from 1983 to 1988 and from 2004 onwards, initially responding in Darfur.

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

• Pray: Join us in praying for all those affected by the conflict in Sudan.

Heavenly Father, we come before You with heavy hearts, lifting up the people of Sudan in their time of need. We pray for the safety of children, families, and World Vision staff, asking for Your protection and guidance as they navigate these dangerous times. Lord, we lift up those suffering from the hunger crisis, and we pray for provision and nourishment during this time of scarcity. We ask for Your special protection over women and girls who are particularly vulnerable to violence. Shield them from harm and give them strength and courage.

Lord, we plead for an end to the fighting and ask that Your peace, which surpasses all understanding, take the place of conflict. In Your mercy and grace we trust and hope. Amen.

• Give: Your gift today will help deliver essential care to children and families made vulnerable by the crisis in Sudan.

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Inside the crisis in Sudan

For a deeper dive into the humanitarian and displacement crisis in war-ravaged Sudan, join Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and top experts as they examine Sudan’s hunger crisis, the underlying conflict, and the international community’s response. Learn more in this detailed analysis, sponsored by World Vision. 

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

The crisis in Lebanon has escalated sharply since late February 2026, driven by wider regional tensions and conflict. Across the country, civilians are bearing the heaviest impact. More than 2,000 people have been killed, including women and children, and over 1 million people have been forced from their homes as evacuation orders have expanded across South Lebanon, Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and the Bekaa Valley.

Lebanon conflict: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

• Fast facts: Lebanon crisis
• What is happening in Lebanon right now?
• Who is affected by the crisis in Lebanon?
• Which areas of Lebanon are impacted?
• How many people have been killed in Lebanon?
• How are children being affected by the crisis in Lebanon?
• How is World Vision responding to the crisis in Lebanon?
• How can I help people affected by the conflict?

Fast facts: Lebanon crisis

• More than 1 million people displaced within Lebanon, including 390,000 children, according to UNICEF reports.
• Approximately 2,000 people killed, including over 250 women and 166 children.
• Families living in overcrowded shelters.
• More than 4 million people need humanitarian assistance.
• Over 80% of Lebanon’s population lives in multidimensional poverty, struggling to access basic needs.
• In some areas of Lebanon, half of the children under 2 are experiencing severe food poverty.
• Over 300 schools have been damaged due to the conflict.
• Humanitarian access remains constrained, limiting aid delivery.
• World Vision has three child sponsorship area programs impacted by the conflict.
• World Vision’s staff in Lebanon is responding by delivering food, hygiene kits, blankets, and other essential support to families staying in collective shelters.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

What is happening in Lebanon right now?

Violence has expanded into new areas, increasing risks for civilians and disrupting daily life. A summary of the situation:

• Damage to infrastructure and ongoing insecurity are limiting access to essential services like healthcare, food, and clean water.
• Road damage and insecurity are increasingly isolating communities.
• Humanitarian access remains constrained, making it difficult to reach the most vulnerable populations.
• Families are crowded into shelters or seeking safety wherever they can find it.
• World Vision staff in Lebanon is working with local partners to deliver lifesaving aid, including food, shelter, and protection support for children and families displaced by the violence.

 

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Who is affected by the crisis in Lebanon?

Since March 2, UNICEF reports there are 1.049 million new internally displaced people (IDPs) as hostilities have escalated. At least 300,000 of the internally displaced are children. More than 140,000 people, including nearly 44,000 children, are in 680 collective shelters, such as schools, hotels, or community centers.

“There aren’t enough shelters to house all of the displaced,” says Heidi Diedrich, World Vision’s national director in Lebanon. “ …The shelters are almost full. … The pace of displacement is far more dramatic than the response can address.”

At least 6,500 people have been injured, and approximately 2,000 people have died, including women and children.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

Which areas of Lebanon are impacted?

Evacuation orders have expanded in the South, Beirut, and the Bekaa Valley.

Strikes have increasingly targeted urban and previously less-impacted areas, including central Beirut, along with other neighborhoods such as Haret Saida, Tyre, Aramoun, and Ramlet El Bayda.
BACK TO QUESTIONS

How many people have been killed in Lebanon?

Since March 2, more than 2,000 people have died, including 166 children, and more than 6,500 people have been injured.

UNICEF estimates that an average of 10 children are killed each day during the escalation.

Emergency responders have also been affected, including the deaths of 14 paramedics and one member of the Lebanese Red Cross, underscoring the risks faced by humanitarian personnel.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

How are children being affected by the crisis?

Children in Lebanon were already living with high levels of poverty and food insecurity. In some regions of Lebanon, more than half of children under 2 face severe food poverty, and nationally, nearly a third of children had only one meal or none the previous day, even before the escalation of violence.

The conflict is deepening these vulnerabilities for children, disrupting access to food, healthcare, education, and protection services.

World Vision operates three affected area programs in Lebanon, supporting thousands of children. Early assessments showed one-third of the registered children have been displaced, with many families living outside formal shelters.

Sponsorship activities in impacted areas have been realigned so staff can prioritize urgent humanitarian needs for children and families.

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How is World Vision responding to the crisis?

World Vision’s staff in Lebanon was among the first humanitarian responders, reaching around 6,000 people within hours of escalation.

Since then, we have reached nearly 151,000 people, including 53,000 children. Support includes:

• Hot meals, ready-to-eat food
• Hygiene kits, mattresses, and blankets
• Water and other essential relief items
• Psychological first aid for children, families, and caregivers
• Child protection services and psychosocial activities
• Alternative learning activities to help children cope with displacement and school closures.

 

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“Our teams have been working around the clock,” says Heidi Diedrich, World Vision’s national director in Lebanon. “With World Vision, as a child-focused organization, the first thing we do is focus on the wellbeing of the child and what we must do to ensure their protection.”

We are working alongside 16 local partner organizations and supporting community kitchens with fresh and dry ingredients.

 

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As humanitarian needs increase, we are scaling up lifesaving support while continuing longer‑term efforts that help communities recover and build stronger futures for children.

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How can I help people affected by the conflict?

We remain steadfast in our commitment to children across the Middle East and beyond and invite you to partner with us in our work.

Please join us in praying for:

• Access to food, clean water, and healthcare
• Safety and strength for humanitarian aid workers.
• Protection of children and displaced families
• Peace and stability across the region

You can also give a gift today to help World Vision’s global disaster response work in Lebanon and other areas impacted by disasters.

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Kristy J. O’Hara-Glaspie from World Vision U.S. contributed to this report.

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

Headlines are filled with harsh realities — deepening hunger crises in Africa, ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Sudan, and Ukraine, destructive natural disasters, and rising costs that strain families everywhere. It’s easy to feel weary and wonder if there are still reasons to hope, or where we can find hope in hard times. In moments like these, many of us find ourselves asking the same quiet questions, seeking understanding.

As a global Christian humanitarian organization working in some of the world’s most difficult places, World Vision has spent more than 75 years walking alongside families who choose hope despite hunger, conflict, poverty, and loss. This close, lived proximity gives us unique insight, not to spotlight ourselves, but to speak honestly about Christian faith and resilience, and the small, significant ways people rise again.

“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” — Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)  

This verse reminds us that renewal is possible, even when we feel overwhelmed.

As followers of Jesus, we believe our hope doesn’t rise and fall with the news cycle. We trust in a God who restores, renews, and transforms even the most desperate situations and who invites us to join Him through prayer, compassion, and faithful action. When we look closely, we can already see stories of hope and transformation rooted in Christian faith and resilience unfolding around the world. Together, these stories and reflections point to tangible examples of God’s presence at work through His people in 2026 and beyond.

• Real-life stories of hope in hard times
• Bible verses about hope in hard times
• Frequently asked questions about hope

Real-life stories of hope in hard times

Emergency food aid brings hope

As droughts, conflict, and inflation push food insecurity and hunger to alarming levels, families are still finding reasons to hope. Through partnership with the World Food Programme, emergency food and nutrition assistance reached 11.9 million people in 2024, including 7 million children across 33 countries.

Hope grows in these hard places: a child eating her first full meal in days, a family receiving grain that carries them through the season, a community rebuilding food systems strengthened by prayer, compassion, and local leadership.

Clean water creates hope in hard times

Access to clean water transforms everything. In Ghana, 8-year-olds Nahimatu and Salamatu (pictured above) no longer walk long distances to gather water. Thanks to a new borehole, they attend school consistently and dream bigger dreams — a clear example of hope in hard times.

Since 2011, World Vision has helped 37.5 million people gain lasting access to clean water. Today, we are reaching:

• One new person with clean water every 10 seconds
• One new person with a handwashing facility every 10 seconds

This is Christian faith and resilience expressed through action. Together, we can help bring clean water and hope to more communities around the world.

Nutrition support helps families begin again

Children who once struggled to survive are now growing strong and reaching milestones. Through therapeutic nutrition programs, nine in 10 severely malnourished children treated by World Vision recover fully. Over 180,700 children under 5 were treated for acute malnutrition, with more than 86% having recovered completely. Innovations like a low-cost, triple-laser device, co-developed with Magpie Tech, for early detection of malnutrition are also aiding in saving lives. A child gaining weight, a mother exhaling in relief, and a community rejoicing are among the powerful reasons to hope.

Safer births for mothers and babies

Globally, maternal health continues to improve. In 2025, more than 85% of women gave birth with skilled medical assistance, up from 80% just a few years earlier. In 2024 alone, World Vision supported more than 40,600 pregnant and breastfeeding women through targeted nutrition programs. Each safe delivery represents new life, dignity, and hope restored.

Girls leading the way toward a brighter future

In Kenya and Bangladesh, World Vision’s Big Dream to End Child Marriage is empowering girls and women and strengthening families. Since 2023, more than 18,000 girls have been supported through education, mentorship, and protection programs.

Girls like Viola, a 16-year-old from South Sudan are finding their voices and shaping their futures.

By 2030, we aim to reach 660,000 people, including nearly 170,000 girls. Another 1.2 million people are expected to benefit indirectly as communities experience improved social, health, and economic conditions.

These stories of hope and transformation show what’s possible when communities confront harmful traditions with courage and faith.

Children with disabilities overcoming barriers

Every child deserves the chance to learn and thrive. In Senegal, Boubakar, 7, and his 15-year-old sister, Mariama, have grown up facing disabilities and the stigma that often comes with them. Boubakar was born with a physical disability, while untreated fractures from infancy have affected Mariama’s legs. After losing both parents, the children were taken in by their stepmother.

Their lives began to change when World Vision started working in their community. Through awareness and engagement efforts, attitudes shifted.

“The community now has greater consideration for us,” said Mariama. “Children living with disabilities are no longer rejected or hidden away.”

Through World Vision’s child sponsorship program, Boubakar received a wheelchair (pictured above), a turning point for the family. His life changed, as did Mariama’s. “Before, he had to crawl,” Mariama said. “Now he can move freely and play with his friends.”

World Vision has also supported the family with food, livestock, and regular visits, helping restore dignity and resilience during difficult seasons.

Since 2021, sponsorship for children with disabilities has grown 53%, now reaching nearly 20,000 children globally.

Children in crisis find safety and comfort

From conflict in Sudan and Ukraine, and natural disasters in Afghanistan and Jamaica, children face growing risks. In response, World Vision reached more than 35 million people in 65 countries in 2025 with food, water, protection, education, and emergency relief.

During a crisis, safe spaces, compassionate care, and faithful presence offer hope in hard times.

Faith flourishing through Biblical empowerment

Through Biblical Empowered Worldview programs, more than 425,000 people engaged in faith formation in 2024. Yessica, who once worked in a mine as a child, is now a successful coffee farmer and community leader in Honduras.

Her life reflects a powerful truth: when people understand who they are in God, hope becomes unstoppable.

Sponsorship programs supporting dreams

In Ghana, 9-year-old Alberta once feared reading aloud. Through a World Vision child sponsorship-supported reading club, she gained confidence and now dreams of becoming a nurse. In 2025, approximately 2.3 million children were supported through child sponsorship programs worldwide.

Sponsorship opens doors to education, health, spiritual nurture, and long-term hope in hard times.

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Bible verses about hope in hard times

When hope feels fragile, Scripture reminds us of God’s faithfulness, presence, and promises.

Proverbs 4:18 (NIV)

The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining even brighter till the full light of day.

Reflect: Even when the night feels long, this verse reminds us how our hope grows brighter, even after long seasons of darkness.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, … “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Reflect: God promises assure us that our lives are still held by purpose and hope in uncertain times ahead.

Romans 5:3-4 (NIV)

Not only so, but w also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Reflect: Even in difficult seasons can shape us, deepening a kind of hope that endures.

Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Reflect: When we are feeling down, God provides renewed strength for heavy hearts facing difficulties.

Psalm 46:1 (NIV)

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Reflect: This verse reminds us that God offers steady presence and protection in times of trouble.

Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Reflect: Faith holds on when circumstances feel overwhelming.

1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)

Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you.

Reflect: God invites us to release fear and worry into His care, knowing we are lovingly held.

Romans 15:4 (NIV)

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

Reflect: We find both strength and encouragement to keep going, even when the road is long.

Psalm 23:4 (NIV)

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Reflect: God’s comforting presence when the path feels frightening and uncertain.

Psalm 73:26 (NIV)

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Reflect: Our hope in God lasts when weakness and weariness take hold.

Psalm 107:9 (NIV)

for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. 

Reflect: God cares for our physical needs, and He provides in times of scarcity.

Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV)

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;  your works are wonderful; I know that full well.”

Reflect: This passage affirms God-given value and dignity over every life.

Romans 15:13 (NIV)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Reflect: We are reminded that our true hope is rooted in God, even when our circumstances seem unclear.

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Frequently asked questions about hope

What are some reasons to hope?

Even in hard times, hope is found in courage, compassion, and everyday acts of faith. In the hardest seasons, there are real reasons to hope. Hope appears in everyday acts of sacrifice — through parents rebuilding after loss, children learning despite adversity, and communities choosing compassion over despair. These moments remind us that darkness never has the final word.

How can we be hopeful in hard times?

Hope in hard times begins and grows through prayer, perspective, and faithful action. Hope doesn’t deny pain; it propels us take the next faithful step forward, trusting God to meet us there.

Why is hope important?

Hope sustains resilience, strengthens faith, and inspires action in difficult seasons.

Hope carries people through adversity. It fuels perseverance, inspires action, and builds resilience when circumstances feel overwhelming.

What are some reasons to hope today?

Even in difficult seasons, there are real reasons to hope. Hope is found in faith in action, resilient communities, and lives being transformed through compassion and care.

How can I find hope in hard times?

Hope in hard times grows through prayer, perspective, connection, and taking small, faithful steps that can help restore perspective and strength. It doesn’t deny pain but helps people take the next step forward with trust in God.

Why is hope important in the Christian faith?

Christian hope is rooted in God’s promises, not circumstances, offering assurance that restoration is always possible. Hope sustains resilience and perseverance in the face of hardship.

Where do I turn when I need hope today?

• Prayer and reflection: Connect with God through prayer and Scripture
• Community and church: Walk alongside others in faith
• Giving and volunteering: Support programs that transform lives
• Sponsorship: Invest in a child’s future and a family’s hope
• Stories: Let real-life stories of faith and resilience remind you that hope is alive

Even now, there are still real, powerful reasons to hope, and they are unfolding every day through faith, compassion, and love.

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Lalanii Rochelle of World Vision in the U.S. contributed to this article.

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Since the war in Ukraine escalated on February 24, 2022, millions of children have faced displacement, loss, and prolonged uncertainty. Now entering another year, the crisis has evolved beyond immediate emergency needs into a protracted humanitarian situation marked by ongoing violence, disrupted services, and long-term instability.

Ukraine crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the war in Ukraine, and learn how to help children and their families.

• Fast facts: Ukraine crisis 
• What is the current situation in Ukraine?
• How many people are affected by the war in Ukraine?
• What are the widespread impacts of the crisis in Ukraine?
• How is the war in Ukraine affecting children?
• What’s World Vision doing to help people affected by the war in Ukraine?
• How is World Vision helping people in Ukraine during the winter?
• How many people has World Vision helped since the start of the war in Ukraine?
• How can I help people impacted by the crisis in Ukraine?

Fast facts: Ukraine crisis

• In 2026, an estimated 10.8 million people in Ukraine need humanitarian aid, including 1 in 3 children (2.2 million).
• The conflict in Ukraine has displaced an estimated 3.7 million people within the country and forced 5.9 million to leave the country as of December 2025.
• Children are among the most affected: About 4.6 million children have faced barriers to education, with nearly 1 million relying on remote learning.
• Nearly 1.5 million children are at risk of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and other mental health conditions.
• Since March 2022, World Vision and partners have reached over 2.35 million people in Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, and Georgia with lifesaving aid, shelter, child protection programs, and other essentials.

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What is the current situation in Ukraine?

The situation in Ukraine remains severe and widespread in 2026. Ongoing hostilities and repeated attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure,  including homes, schools, health facilities, and energy systems, continue to disrupt daily life.

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How many people are affected by the war in Ukraine?

According to the UNHCR, 10.8 million people need humanitarian aid and protection. In addition to the approximately 5 million people forced to live in Europe, at least 3.7 million more are displaced within Ukraine.

“Today, 2.2 million girls and boys — one in every three children in Ukraine — require urgent humanitarian assistance. On the ground, we see a generation living in a state of constant survival mode. We are witnessing children subjected to multiple displacements, the loss of their parents, and the systematic erosion of daily routines and educational access,” said Arman Grigoryan, World Vision Ukraine Crisis Response Director.

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What are the widespread impacts of the crisis in Ukraine?

The war in Ukraine is one of the deadliest conflicts in Europe since World War II and continues to have far-reaching consequences beyond the country’s borders. Conflict has devastated the lives of Ukrainian children and families and has caused economic disruptions to food systems, energy markets, and trade, which have contributed to rising poverty and hunger worldwide.

Inside Ukraine, the impact includes destroyed homes and schools, strained health systems, interrupted education, and growing mental health needs. Children have spent their formative years living through war.

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How is the war in Ukraine affecting children?

Eight-year-old Sofia from Kyiv remembers the war beginning on her fifth birthday. “I always thought it would be so cool if the war could end on my birthday, just like it began.” Like Sofia, millions of children are facing extreme challenges.

Blackouts from attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure leave homes, schools, and hospitals without heat, electricity, or water. Children spend long hours in cold, dark homes, increasing illness risk, and one in five families reports health problems linked to indoor cold.

The conflict also drives stress, anxiety, and isolation, while nearly 40% of school-aged children struggle with disrupted online or blended learning. Many shelter in basements during air raid sirens, and millions lack safe water or sanitation, raising disease risks.

“Prolonged exposure to extreme stress can have long-term effects on children’s physical health, emotional stability, and ability to connect with others. For many, the damage is not temporary; it can reshape the very foundations of childhood,” said Anna, a psychologist at the World Vision-supported Child-Friendly Space in Kyiv.

World Vision and partners provide safe spaces, education, and psychological support to help children cope and thrive despite the war.

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What’s World Vision doing to help people affected by the war in Ukraine?

Since the onset of the conflict, World Vision has consistently delivered lifesaving aid, shelter, child protection services, and other essentials to support the most vulnerable people. We are bringing our global expertise and local partnerships to respond to the war in Ukraine and throughout the impacted regions.

Operating across every administrative region, known as oblasts, in Ukraine, World Vision collaborates with trusted local and international partners — including the WFP and UNICEF — to assist communities affected by the war. We’ve also implemented a cash assistance program managed by partners in Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, and Georgia.

Our efforts seek to provide immediate relief and enhance resilience for those most vulnerable to the challenges of winter.

Alongside immediate relief, we are also focused on long-term support through educational programs for children and adults, psychosocial and child protection services, livelihood support, and more, aiding communities in building resilience and recovering from crisis.

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What is World Vision doing to help people impacted by the war in Ukraine during the winter?

In response to the harsh winter, we are providing cash assistance for families’ utility costs. Through our local partners, we’re distributing winterization kits, which include mattresses, sleeping bags, blankets, power banks, and portable stoves. We’ve also supplied generators to Child-Friendly Spaces run by partners to ensure continuous support services during blackouts.

“Children in Ukraine are facing extreme hardship this winter,” said Arman Grigoryan, World Vision’s Ukraine Crisis Response director. “In some areas, families go up to 36 hours without heating, electricity, or water. This prolonged lack of basic services puts children’s health at serious risk, disrupts their education, and threatens their overall well-being. Humanitarian support, including winter supplies, safe spaces, and psychosocial assistance, is urgently needed to protect them.”

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How many people has World Vision helped since the start of the war in Ukraine?

We’ve been responding since the first week of the crisis. As of January 2026, our staff have provided essentials for approximately 2.35 million people across the region. Here are key figures:

• In Ukraine, our efforts have supported over 1.44 million people, nearly half of whom are children.
• In Romania, we’ve assisted more than 352,000 people with aid, including food, shelter, protection resources, and education and hygiene kits.
• In Moldova, over 510,320 people have been reached through our programming. We continue to support Moldovan families hosting refugees in 17 districts through our partnership with WFP.
• In Georgia, we’ve helped support 40,980 people with education, child protection, and programming, including vouchers for food, hygiene, clothing, and pharmacy costs.

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How can I help people impacted by the crisis in Ukraine?

• Pray: Join us in praying for the most vulnerable communities affected by the war in Ukraine.
• Give: Become a vital partner in World Vision’s work to deliver help and hope to refugees and displaced children and families.

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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.