Latest news

For the first time since the Ebola epidemic began more than a year ago, no new contaminations have been reported in Sierra Leone for two weeks. This is a very encouraging new development in the fight against the virus, which has already infected nearly 30,000 people (almost half in Sierra Leone), more than 10,000 of whom have died. Magalie Vairetto, who has been working on Handicap International’s Ebola programme since January 2015, tells us more about these hopeful signs and the need to remain vigilant at this stage in the epidemic.

Peter lives in Trans-Nzoia County, western Kenya. Although only 15, he is highly driven and a committed member of his community. Peter, who is deaf and uses sign language, is a sports captain and often top of his class. The ambitious young man is also playing a leading role in Handicap International’s Ubuntu Care project, fighting to eradicate sexual violence against children.

Renato, his wife, and their six children are finally back at home in their newly-repaired house. It has been over one year since typhoon Haiyan, one of the most severe typhoons in history, swept across the Philippines killing almost 8,000 people and destroying many homes, including Renato’s. His family is one of 200 households to have benefited from a project implemented by Handicap International in the province of Leyte, which aims to help with the reconstruction process.  Thanks to Handicap International, the head of the household has been able to return to work.

In 2013, Nak, 15, stepped on a mine while he was working as a wood-cutter in the forest. For a teenage boy whose survival depends on his physical skills, the subsequent loss of his leg was a very real tragedy. The prostheses provided by Handicap International and his enrolment on an occupational training course have renewed his faith in the future.

Glody, 2, lives in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He was born with a neck deformity the size of a football, which made even the slightest movements difficult. With support from Handicap International, Glody has now been operated on. He attends rehabilitation sessions and has got the spring back in his step.

1st August 2015 is the 5th anniversary of the entry into force of the Oslo Convention banning the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions. Despite the clear success of the convention, which has been signed by 117 countries to date, cluster munitions were still being used in conflicts in 2015.

Fanta, 8, lives with her parents and her little brother in Kono district, Sierra Leone. Last year, she went to school for the very first time. But the Ebola virus closed schools across the country, including hers.

Handicap International is preparing to launch a response in aid of the most vulnerable individuals affected by flooding and landslides in Sri Lanka, which was hit by Cyclone Roanu on 15th May.

When Typhoon Haiyan tore across the Philippines in November 2013, Erlinda was left without a means to earn her livelihood. As part of Handicap International’s livelihood project, she was given a sow in October 2014 and trained to manage this value resource. Since then, Erlinda has made a lot of progress and now has a brand new pigsty and 14 piglets.

More than 8,800 people were killed and over 22,000 were injured in the earthquake, which struck Nepal in April 2015. Nearly one million homes were also destroyed or damaged.

Halima, 9, lives with cerebral palsy. She finds everyday things - gripping a pen, keeping her back straight, coordinating her movements - a challenge. Thanks to Handicap International, this young Somalian girl has a wheelchair and now benefits from rehabilitation sessions. Halima is keeping up her efforts and becoming more self-reliant.

In Sierra Leone, Handicap International plays an active role in campaigns to inform people of the ways in which the virus is transmitted and what they can do to limit the risk of contamination. To ensure everyone is well informed, Handicap International has organised the translation of the campaign’s messages into Braille and sign language and has produced an information book for children.

The lives of civilians in Gaza are still endangered by explosive remnants of war , one year after the outbreak of fighting between Israel and Palestinian on 7 July 2014. At least 4,500 explosive devices  are still buried under the rubble of houses and infrastructure destroyed during the 50-day conflict. Handicap International immediately supplied aid to the most vulnerable individuals and, since March, it has organised risk education sessions on explosive remnants of war to prevent more people falling victims to these weapons.

Following the 2014 conflict in Gaza, thousands of unexploded bombs and other ordnance (UXO) lay hidden under rubble and inside damaged buildings. Despite clearance efforts, Gaza is still contaminated by 4,500 items which pose a serious threat to civilians, many of whom do not realise that the bombs can still explode. To prevent injuries and deaths, Handicap International teams travel throughout Gaza educating residents - like Hamza - about what to do when they find potentially dangerous objects.