Be Humanitarian in Your Hood

I Was Here

Image credit to the UN.

As we approach World Humanitarian day, one thing comes to mind. Every year on August 19, we honor people who work in humanitarian projects around the world. These true humanitarians make many personal sacrifices in order to provide assistance to others. And  their work is often risky – even life threatening.  August 19 is World Humanitarian Day, established in honor of Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, and 20 members of his staff who died tragically in a car bombing on August 19, 2003.

Humanitarian professionals work in a variety of sectors. Some focus on water and sanitation initiatives. Others are trained for search and rescue, shelter, livelihood restoration, nutrition and rapid response following natural disasters. They work across multiple sectors around the globe, but one doesn’t need a plane ticket to be a humanitarian.

To be a humanitarian requires two basic things. First is a concern for the welfare of all people. The second is a classic humanitarian concept dating back to the Hippocratic Oath – do no harm. A way to insure against doing harm is to ensure your help is wanted and required, to avoid the possibility of causing harm despite your best intentions.  You may know from the experience of giving or receiving a gift that bombed- good intentions do not always guarantee good outcomes.

There are so many ways to connect with and help others! Want to give to a worthy cause? Donate cash to a responsible organization working in a sector you believe in. If you have only have material goods to give, that’s okay. You can donate them locally, or sell them and donate the proceeds. Take an idea from our “55 Ways to Repurpose a Material Donation”. Once you’ve decided to help others without causing harm, you’re bound to be a humanitarian in your hood.

For more ideas on how to be humanitarian in your hood, stay tuned for tips in future blogs.