Every year on August 19, the world observes World Humanitarian Day, recognizing the courage and compassion of humanitarian workers and standing in solidarity with communities affected by disasters. At American Jesuits International, this day is an invitation to remember the Jesuits and lay collaborators who serve on the front lines of challenging humanitarian situations and accompany communities responding to natural disasters around the world. When crises hit vulnerable populations where the Jesuits work, they remain, becoming examples of faith and resilience, providing humanitarian assistance that supports not just immediate relief but long-term recovery and resilience.
Jesuit Humanitarian Aid: Presence Before, During, and After Disaster
Unlike many aid organizations that arrive in disaster zones as outsiders, the Jesuit approach to humanitarian assistance and recovery is deeply rooted in solidarity with local communities. Jesuits and their partners are often already present on the ground before disasters strike. They are teaching, providing social services, and ministering in marginalized communities before they face crisis, and they stay long after the immediate impact has subsided. This continuity allows them to accompany affected people not only in moments of emergency but throughout the long journey of rebuilding and recovery.
At American Jesuits International, we support this unique model by channeling economic support from the United States to affected Jesuit works or Provinces abroad in times of natural disasters or humanitarian emergencies. We do not parachute into disaster zones; rather, we stand alongside trusted local organizations who are experts in their own contexts. This presence before, during, and after disasters enables a response that is both immediate and sustainable—one that honors the dignity of the marginalized and vulnerable.
Our Priority: Humanitarian Assistance and Recovery
Our Humanitarian Assistance and Recovery priority area reflects our commitment to solidarity with those impacted by natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies. Through fundraising efforts in the United States, American Jesuits International helps support Jesuit works and provinces abroad in their vital efforts to respond to and recover from crises.
The programs we back cover a wide spectrum of critical needs, including:
- Rapid Humanitarian Response — Providing food, clean water, hygiene supplies, medicine, and temporary shelter in the immediate aftermath of disasters.
- Replacement of Losses — Supplying essential inputs and resources to families and communities to help them restore their livelihoods.
- Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience — Strengthening communities to better prepare for and withstand future emergencies.
Working Together for Lasting Recovery
In many cases, our humanitarian assistance and recovery work is strengthened by our membership in the Xavier Network, a global collaboration of Jesuit mission offices and non-governmental development organizations. Together, we coordinate resources, share information from partners on the ground, and ensure that the global Society of Jesus can respond quickly and effectively when disaster strikes. While the network does not send its own personnel into emergency zones, it empowers local Jesuit organizations to lead responses in their own communities—ensuring that aid is timely, culturally appropriate, and grounded in long-standing relationships of trust.
Impact in Action: Myanmar and Peru
In Myanmar, escalating conflict has forced thousands from their homes and left many without access to food, clean water, or shelter. Through the Xavier Network and our Jesuit partners already serving in affected areas, our emergency campaign provided food assistance and hygiene kits, helping families survive amid instability while also supporting long-term recovery planning.
In Andahuaylillas, Peru, an earthquake had a localized impact in one of the communities where Jesuits work, damaging homes, schools, and the town’s church. The local Fe y Alegría school was damaged but also became a source of support for the community, immediately mobilizing relief efforts. Dedicated teachers and staff ensured that learning continued, and that children and families received the support they needed. In addition to the material damage to the community, students and families also struggled to cope with the emotional stress of their situation, especially those families whose houses have been declared uninhabitable. For months following the earthquake, American Jesuits International cultivated support to help the school rebuild and the community recover.
These examples illustrate the strength of Jesuit Humanitarian Assistance and Recovery, rooted in presence, partnership, and perseverance. Our work is not just about responding to disaster but about walking with communities for as long as it takes to rebuild.
Standing in Solidarity on World Humanitarian Day
On this World Humanitarian Day, we recognize the dedication of humanitarian workers everywhere, especially those Jesuits and partners who remain committed long after the headlines fade. Their faith-driven perseverance is a beacon of hope and a reminder that true assistance is more than aid; it is accompaniment.
We invite you to join us in standing in solidarity with vulnerable communities worldwide. Whether through prayer, advocacy, or supporting faith-based humanitarian assistance and recovery efforts, each action helps create a more just and compassionate world.
At American Jesuits International, we believe that humanitarian assistance is not just about meeting urgent needs—it is about honoring dignity, fostering resilience, and building a future where all can thrive. This is the promise and power of Jesuit Humanitarian Aid.
