Grégory Monaco, philanthropy relations at Handicap International Luxembourg. Photo: Handicap International

Grégory Monaco, philanthropy relations at Handicap International Luxembourg. Photo: Handicap International

As humanitarian crises intensify around the world, budget cuts to international aid are threatening millions of lives. Faced with this reality, it is no longer enough to assert that our values are essential and must be defended: we also need the means to take action. In this context, philanthropy is more than ever an essential bulwark against the abandonment of vulnerable populations.

Budget cuts with dramatic consequences

As the days go by, more and more shocking announcements are being made. The freezing of US foreign aid, budget cuts for development cooperation in Germany, France and Belgium... These announcements come one after another in a world where armed conflicts are claiming more victims every day and human rights are under increasing threat.

In 2024, 300m people were in need of humanitarian aid, a figure that is constantly rising. Of these, 122 million were forcibly displaced.

An immediate impact on the ground

The consequences of these budget cuts are not limited to figures. They have real and immediate repercussions. As a humanitarian aid worker with Handicap International, I have witnessed this unjust and violent reality, and the humanitarian catastrophe it is likely to engender: the sudden halting of vital projects, patients deprived of care, employees forced to suspend their missions.

In refugee camps or war zones, it is the most vulnerable who pay the price. Without humanitarian workers, their survival is in jeopardy. A colleague in Thailand recently confided in me her anguish: for lack of funding, she will soon be unable to supply essential medicines to the children she has been treating for a month. In her account, an unusual doubt, an overwhelming cry for help. A cry for help that I want to turn into determination.

A call to action

Taking action is part of ’s DNA. Our mission is to find solutions and protect the most vulnerable. But without the support of governments and you--donors, companies, foundations, patrons, volunteers, philanthropists--it becomes almost impossible.

More than ever, let’s affirm that our missions and our values are essential. But words are not enough: we need to act, and we must not let our concerns hold us back. This text is an appeal to support humanitarian action and defend humanism.

Faced with the brutal disengagement of certain governments, we need the support of major sponsors, of those who can and want to make a difference. Your commitment has never been so crucial.

Financing solidarity means choosing to resist.

This article was originally published in .

This article was written by Grégory Monaco, philanthropy and partnerships officer at Handicap International Luxembourgas as part of the company’s membership with the Paperjam Club. If you would like to join the Club, please contact us at .