Humanity & Inclusion UK

🔴 Civilians in #Gaza are currently living in an unmapped minefield. In January, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) estimated that 10-12% of the munitions fired at Gaza had not exploded. Humanity & Inclusion's teams on the ground are working tirelessly to raise awareness about the dangers of these unexploded weapons and educate communities on how to stay as safe as possible. Nick Orr, Explosive ordnance expert for Humanity & Inclusion explains: "The UXO contamination is vast, we must educate the communities. Their lives are now entwined with the presence of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) and will be for a generation. We are teaching people how to live with lethal threats in their homes. There is no other solution right now, education is the greatest weapon we have against UXO. We are especially concerned about the risk to children. To help these communities live amongst this horror, our teams are delivering risk education sessions, warning the population of the hazards and what to do if they think they see something suspicious. These sessions are crucial as they provide information about the dangers, how to recognise UXO, as well as instructing the public on how they can prepare and protect themselves.”

After years of displacement, Amer’s family finally returned to their home in #Syria only to find danger still lurking on the ground. While playing, Amer and his cousins found an unexploded device. But it detonated, and doctors had to amputate Amer's leg to save his life. His grandfather told our teams: “We do not want more children to suffer like Amer. We hope for clearance of contaminated land, awareness, and stronger support for survivors.” Our dedicated teams have been there for Amer, providing him with #rehabilitation care. We're working to raise awareness and ensure no other child endures such a tragedy.

In #Togo, our teams are running workshops to promote a positive approach to mental health. So far, they have: 👉 provided support to more than 2,000 people in psychosocial distress 👉 trained 161 community members in mental health and 126 mental health and social work professionals 👉 supported health centres that organise mental health activities 👉 raised awareness among more than 25,000 people This project, called Touching Minds Raising Dignity - Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, is also being implemented in Lebanon, Sierra Leone, and Madagascar.

✨ We want to do a special shoutout to our wonderful Royal Parks Half Marathon runners, who took on an incredible challenge to raise funds for Humanity & Inclusion! Together as a team, they've raised over £6,100! 🏃♀️🎉 Your support is making a real impact on the lives of vulnerable and disabled people around the world 💙

Words can't describe how I feel about the efforts of Heba and all our team in Gaza who somehow are still managing to support children with life-changing injuries amid such devastation. They are a consistent source of hope and determination that, despite everything, we will not give up our humanity - and we will not accept or normalise horrific violence against civilians in Gaza, Sudan or anywhere else.

Our commitment to diversity and inclusion isn’t just in the work we deliver overseas! Last month, we had the true pleasure of welcoming Simon Fanshawe OBE to speak with our UK team on his approach to inclusion, how we can always find common ground, and learn to use our differences as our strengths. Simon shared his story with us, from founding the leading LGBT rights organisation Stonewall UK and the history of the campaigns for equality, to drawing on the lessons and applying those principles to our work at Humanity & Inclusion, and the present day more broadly. Moments like this are a fantastic way for us to reflect on the diversity we bring to work, and how we can each use our differences to move us closer to our mission to ensure dignity and independence for all. Thank you, Simon! #inclusion #diversityandinclusion #EDI

“There are more than 6,000 prosthetics currently needed in Gaza, many of which are for children, according to the WHO. And there are precious few people on the ground who have the expertise to help them.” One of them is Heba, our Prosthetics and Orthotics specialist in Gaza. Her story was recently covered by The Independent. “In the Gaza Strip, where people are constantly and repeatedly forced to move due to forced displacement and insecurity, a prosthesis is not just a medical device, it is a lifeline.” Read more about Heba’s vital work in The Independent 👇 https://lnkd.in/eBez_DeE

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month 👋Meet Ershad, a 2½-year-old boy with Down syndrome, who lives with his family in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. Access to early health and rehabilitation services has been key to his development, helping him build strength, communication, and social skills. Every child should have access to the health services they need to grow and thrive - wherever they live. But unfortunately, this isn’t yet the reality for many people with intellectual disabilities around the world. This year, we’re spotlighting our partnership with Down Syndrome International (DSi) - a global consultation on health equity for people with intellectual disabilities. According to the World Health Organization , across the world, people with disabilities continue to face major barriers to healthcare, and are: 🔹3x more likely to be denied care 🔹4x more likely to be treated poorly when seeking services 🔹50% more likely to face catastrophic health costs Together with DSi, we listened to the voices of people with intellectual disabilities in 95 countries - from Bangladesh to the UK - through surveys and focus groups. Their experiences reveal both the systemic inequities that persist, and the changes needed to make health systems truly inclusive. One young woman with Down syndrome from Canada shared: “People look at the referral and see Down syndrome and they shut their mind to anything else. It’s like I am a syndrome, not a person.” Her words are a reminder that health inequities are not inevitable - they are the result of systems that can, and must, change. ✨ To make healthcare fair and inclusive for all: 🔹 Invest in organisations led by people with disabilities 🔹 Embed inclusion in health policies, tools, and systems 🔹 Share and scale approaches that work You can learn more in the Our Say in Our Health report, we developed with Down Syndrome International , which shares the voices and experiences of people with intellectual disabilities around the world. Together with people with disabilities, we can build inclusive, equitable health systems where everyone receives the care and respect they deserve. #HealthEquity #HealthForAll #ActionForEquity

Mohamed lost his leg when a tank shell hit him in northern #Gaza. When our team first met him, he was frightened and in pain, but with our team's dedication, he was fitted with a prosthetic leg and began rehabilitation. Little by little, he is finding strength again. 👉 Help us be there for children like Mohamed: https://lnkd.in/ePHQcqwy

This Thursday 30th October, join our webinar to discuss what humanitarian actors, donors and governments can do to unlock the potential of refugees with disabilities. A fantastic line-up of speakers will share what we’ve learned from delivering #InclusiveEducation and livelihoods projects in Kakuma and Kalobeyei refugee settlements in northern #Kenya, as part of UK aid’s flagship disability inclusive development consortium initiative – #InclusiveFutures. Speakers: 🔹David Ochieng, area manager, Kakuma, Humanity & Inclusion 🔹Mitchel Ambasu Ayietsa, field coordinator, Kakuma operations, Turkana County, Refugee Consortium of Kenya 🔹Idoka Hebrews Ignatius, deputy director social protection directorate, Turkana County Government 🔹Tessa MacArthur, Head of Disability Inclusion at FCDO Register via this link to attend the event 👇 https://lnkd.in/eQERYTTr