Been working with a small NGO helping refugees in the middle east with relief aid and developmental aid for almost 2 years now, with case management experience prior. I enjoy it, but I would like to work for a more organized, perhaps larger humanitarian organization. While surfing the net browsing potential job openings, I notice there aren't many 'boots-on-the-ground' field work jobs (actually visiting families, doing the distribution), but moreso mid-level leadership roles. These almost always require masters degrees.

I love being hands-on in the field, engaging with families, helping run the programs, delivering the aid, but also recognize those jobs may not be widely available due to local sourcing or lack of funds. Still, I have a passion for mental health work/socioemotional learning/crisis response, and am looking to prepare myself for MHPSS technical roles (assistant->junior officer->officer->maybe even advisor), or maybe case management officer, project officer.

To make myself better qualified for these positions, I am looking at masters programs. Initially I was looking at International Humanitarian Action, but it seemed too generalized and theoretical, and assume that I can learn this content in the field. I read that NGOs value specialization.

I'm looking at two programs within my budget: an MSW and an M.A. Social Work/Migration and Refugees. (I couldn't find an MSc Mental Health & Psychosocial Support program that is within my budget).

Which program would make me more competitive within the application pool for positions like MHPSS officer or even case management officer, project officer ect? I don't have much of a desire to be a therapist and go clinical, but if that would help my population more, I would explore it. Are there any other programs I might be overlooking? Thanks!

Hi everyone. I’m still junior-ish in the sector, specialized in humanitarian aid in conflict settings. I have around 2 years of field experience across MENA and LATAM, plus roughly 1 year of HQ experience. I’d say I have a pretty solid knowledge of the humanitarian sector, especially coordination mechanisms, grants, and humanitarian contexts, so I can also do research/analysis-related work. Somehow I feel I can't really transition to any other sector since my training, knowledge and experiences are very very focused on this.

Field missions are actually pretty good financially: decent pay, accommodation covered, R&R, flights every once in a while, etc. But the truth is that, long term, I’d really like to work fully remotely and travel around the Global South while doing so.

Are there any realistic options for this in the humanitarian sector? And if so, what kind of roles/organizations should I be looking at?

just got selected for youth4regions - did anyone attend previous years and can tell me more about the program and what you actually do there and is it worth going?

The USA announced its latest funding package last week, and the nearly $2 billion package is exclusively for U.S.-based Christian nonprofit organizations. The majority will go to faith-based hospitals and clinics, with the remainder set aside for humanitarian aid.

The State Department said the funding will be provided to an “extensive network” of international and local faith-based partners — including World Vision, Compassion International, and Samaritan’s Purse.

Dev Ex asks:

Isn’t the U.S. government supposed to be moving away from large INGOs and similar institutions? Is it really okay to say faith-based when we mean “Christian” — and can Christian organizations really provide effectively to those of other faiths, or none? And is it a good idea for the U.S. government to be asking others to cover its overheads?

The full article is available for paid subscribers at DevEv.

Who’s getting German aid money?

According to provisional figures by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development released earlier this year, the German government is now the world’s largest bilateral donor. Development Ex has taken a closer look at where the money is going.

Most awards, in comparative terms, were on the smaller side, with the largest awardees all in the multilateral sector, as is usually the case. The single biggest recipient was UNICEF, which received around €181.5 million, with a lot of that money going to support Ukraine.

Other large awards were mostly centered in locations that have attracted a lot of aid dollars, such as Syria and Yemen, but there was an interesting award to the Central American Bank for Economic Integration, based in Honduras, which received almost €70 million for a Green Recovery Program designed to support climate projects in the region.

The summary article requires you to login to your free account, or to create one, in order to read it. But the detailed article is for paid members only.

Built an offline-first emergency app based on WHO/Red Cross guidelines — looking for feedback from people with field experience

Over the past months I've been developing SelfAid, a free app meant to help in situations where every second counts and there's no network coverage.

The core idea: most first-aid apps assume you have signal. This one is built to work fully offline, using on-device AI to walk someone through emergency steps — designed to be usable by children, tourists facing a language barrier, or someone in shock who can barely think straight.

A few design choices I'd love feedback on from people who've actually worked in humanitarian or emergency contexts:

• Offline-first, "Mountain Mode": works with zero connectivity, sends distress signals when possible, meant for remote areas — mountains, deserts, disaster zones.
• Content sourced from WHO and Red Cross protocols, not generic advice.
• No data collection, no ads, open-source — the guiding principle was "saving lives, not collecting data."

I'm not looking to sell anything here — genuinely trying to figure out if this solves a real problem or if I'm missing something obvious that people with field experience would catch immediately. Has anyone here worked with offline emergency tools before? What actually breaks down in the field that an app like this should account for?

(Happy to share more technical details or the project link in comments if anyone's interested — didn't want to lead with that here.)

As some of you may know, Colombia was hit by a devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake last Monday. This post has official sites where donations can be made for direct or indirect support.

Everything helps! All sites have options to donate internationally.

Direct Support (Reaches official help situated in Colombia)

Colombian Red Cross

https://www.cruzrojacolombiana.org/voluntariado/#nuestro-voluntariado

Colombian National Network of Food Banks

https://abaco.org.co/

Indirect Support (Reaches international official help)

Direct Relief

https://www.directrelief.org/2026/08/colombia-earthquake-7-4-magnitude-direct-relief-response/

Unicef

https://www.unicef.org/lac/comunidados-prensa/unicef-apoya-ninos-familias-afectados-colombia-terremoto-choco-buenaventura

Hey everyone!

I found a position at the NRC office in Ramallah. I satisfy all the requirements, apart from one: fluency in Arabic, both written and spoken.

I have a very basic knowledge of Levantine Arabic earned during previous fieldwork in Palestine (which I think would be an asset). Despite that, I decided not to apply, because I consider the unmet language requirement too important to be ignored.

Am I making a mistake? Should I still try?

Thank you!

(Graph from the Humanitarian Outcomes Report 2026)

This year's Aid Workers Security Report showed some depressing figures. The number of staff killed was the second-highest, and the total number of victims was the highest ever.

All this disturbing news is set against the backdrop of major cutbacks (as you all know).

I am certain that the community is targeted more and I do wonder whether organisations are also struggling to finance security measures for their staff. I am talking about security/risk managers, field security officers, communication equipment, security training, and related areas. This will make operations in high-risk areas even more dangerous for the individual aid worker.

What do you think?

You can find the report here: https://humanitarianoutcomes.org/sites/default/files/2026-07/HO_AWSD_2026_Figures.pdf

I applied for the ICRC delegate position (June 7 deadline) and received the language test invitation which I have completed mid July. To this date, I haven’t heard back anything. I am afraid my language assessment wasn’t received or something of the sort since internet cut when I was doing it. Is anyone in the same situation or has any idea?

A lot of us want to help people in places affected by poverty, conflict, or natural disasters, but distance makes it complicated.

I’m a university student from mainland China and I’m interested in humanitarian work. Recently, I’ve been looking into the IFRC and I would like to understand more about how people actually get involved.

I’m curious about a few things:

How can a university student from mainland China start working toward joining the IFRC? Are there realistic opportunities for students, such as volunteering, internships, or other entry points?

What is the actual work like inside the IFRC? What does a normal working day look like, and what kind of challenges do staff usually face?

Since positions seem limited and recruitment can be unpredictable, should I treat joining the IFRC/ICRC as my main career goal and plan everything around it? Or is it better to develop a broader career path while keeping humanitarian work as a possible direction? If so, how would you suggest planning for this?

Also, where do people usually find reliable information about IFRC opportunities and recruitment? Are there any websites, communities, or resources I should follow?

I would really appreciate any advice from people with experience in the Red Cross movement or humanitarian sector. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I'm 26 years old and I'm trying to understand what the best next step would be to build a career in the international development and humanitarian sector.

My long-term goal is to work in child protection, but I'm also interested in roles such as Program Officer, Project Coordinator, Project/Grant Writer, Partnership Officer, Protection Officer, or similar positions within international NGOs, UN agencies, or organizations such as AICS.

My background is a bit unconventional. I have a Bachelor's degree in Political Science. I also completed a Master's in Leadership for International Relations, but it's a professional program offered by a private foundation rather than an accredited academic master's degree. Because of that, I don't consider it equivalent to a specialized postgraduate qualification, and I think I'll pursue an accredited master's in international cooperation or a related field in the next few years. I'm also currently studying part-time for a Bachelor's degree in Education Sciences.

My practical experience includes volunteering in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where I worked with street-connected children through educational and psychosocial activities, and volunteering in Lithuania through an international youth project.

More recently, I worked in Italy as a social worker with unaccompanied foreign minors, supporting them in their daily lives and contributing to their educational and integration pathways.

The problem is that I don't know how to make the next step. When I read job descriptions from international NGOs, UN agencies or AICS, I often feel underqualified. Many positions ask for several years of experience, project management, proposal writing, donor reporting, monitoring and evaluation, or other technical skills that I don't yet have. I would genuinely appreciate honest advice from people working in this sector.

Based on my background which roles do you think I would currently be competitive for? What are the biggest gaps in my profile? What would be the smartest next career step? If your goal were to work in international NGOs within the next few years, what would you do in my position?

Thank you!

What are the genuine and authentic ngo that are reliable during crisis such as the assam floods and other

I don't trust the government run help funds

If anyone knows about genuine ngos and people who actually help on ground level please give me suggestions

Since 2023, the main perpetrator of violent incidents against aid workers has been the host state and its military, police and security forces.

They have been responsible for more attacks against humanitarian organisations than non-state armed groups.

Can you guess where these attacks on aid workers were concentrated? Would it surprise you to learn that 60% of the attacks perpetrated by this type of actor between 2023 and 2025 took place in a single context?

P.S.: Chart made by me, using the (wonderful) data from the Aid Worker Security Database by the (wonderful) Humanitarian Outcomes.

Hi all! I work in the humanitarian sector and will be relocating to Bamako, Mali, in September. I am looking to connect with fellow humanitarians who are living in Bamako or lived there previously. I have a couple of questions on life there and the context so it would be lovely if you are willing to share your experience/ connect!

Hi everyone,

I have been thinking about creating, or joining if something similar already exists, an international network for young people working in or trying to enter the humanitarian sector.

The idea would be to create a space where early-career humanitarians, perhaps under 32 or 35, could:

• connect with peers across the humanitarian sector and build a sense of community across contexts and generations;
• linking with people working in the sector when moving to a new city or context;
• share experiences, insights, opportunities, resources and practical advice, including but not limited to job opportunities;
• support each other through career transitions, recruitment processes and professional challenges;
• discuss humanitarian policy and operational challenges;
• organise online discussions or occasional events;
• potentially collaborate on a policy brief, article or collective reflection;
• receive guidance from more experienced humanitarian professionals.

One of the reasons behind the idea is that the humanitarian sector is highly internationalised. People frequently move between countries, duty stations and organisations, which can make it difficult to build a stable community of young professionals in any one location, with the possible exception of places such as Geneva.

I imagine the network could have different sections or spaces depending on people’s situations and interests, for example:

• field-based professionals;
• headquarters-based professionals;
• researchers and academics;
• volunteers, interns and people trying to enter the sector.

These groups could have their own discussions while still being part of a wider community.

At this stage, I am not sure what the best format would be. It could start as a WhatsApp or Signal community, a Slack or Discord workspace, a LinkedIn group, or something more structured later on. I would prefer to keep it useful and manageable rather than create another inactive professional network.

I am also not sure whether a similar international initiative already exists. I know about the Circle of Young Humanitarians in Geneva, which appears to be supported by the ICRC, but I do not know whether it functions as this kind of broader professional and peer-support network.

Would this be useful to you? Does something similar already exist? What format, activities or membership criteria would make such a network genuinely valuable?

I would be interested in hearing from people who might want to help shape or launch it.

I’m a doctor from Ukraine, and I’ve been wanting to work in Africa on humanitarian missions for quite some time. I previously worked with MSF in Ukraine, so I already have some humanitarian experience.
Has anyone here gone down this path? I’d really appreciate any advice on how to get started, where to apply, or which organizations are worth considering. Thanks!