A message from HALO's CEO
MEETING A GLOBAL EMERGENCY
The Coronavirus pandemic has created an unprecedented challenge across the world that will undoubtedly have a huge impact on HALO and our life-saving work. But we stand ready to provide our logistical and organisational expertise to serve the broader humanitarian need caused by COVID-19 in the countries where we operate.
In HALO’s thirty-year history we have faced many difficult challenges. Established as the Hazardous Area Life-support Organisation, we have brought our skills and expertise to support vulnerable families across the world in times of crisis—whether responding to the emergency in Sri Lanka following the tsunami, dealing with environmental disasters in Afghanistan, or ensuring isolated communities in Abkhazia receive vital food supplies. Together we are ready to do so again.
As an organisation that serves some of the world’s most vulnerable people, our priority is the safety and wellbeing of both our staff and the families who depend on us. We are adjusting how we work in line with the latest national government and World Health Organisation guidance to ensure we keep everyone protected.
However, where possible and where it is safe to do so, we are continuing to work to clear the landmines that threaten people’s lives and looking at using our expertise and capacity to support the COVID-19 response.
The current health emergency has thrown into even sharper relief the vulnerabilities of countries and communities where years of conflict have destroyed infrastructure and livelihoods. Health provision is often poor—or non-existent—and access to vital resources such as water are cut off.
This makes us more determined than ever to continue our mission to clear the landmines and explosives—so families, communities and countries can rebuild.
We are grateful to the continued support of our donors and partners in these uncertain times. By standing together, we can continue to fulfil to the best of our ability the humanitarian mission and values we all share, while keeping our staff, their families, and the communities we serve, as safe as we possibly can.