If you’ve followed us for some time, you’ve likely heard us use the term “crisis situation” before—but what is a crisis situation and what does Because International have to do with it?

What is a crisis situation?

At Because, we define a crisis situation as a scenario where a community doesn’t have access to basic resources due to circumstances outside of their control. They are in immediate need of shelter, shoes, food, medicine, etc.

Communities in crisis situations are different from those in absolute poverty, which can be broadly defined as when a household’s income is too low to afford basic necessities. Those experiencing absolute poverty may be in need of resources, but they are not immediately facing a crisis like war, natural disaster, disease, etc. However, communities impacted by absolute poverty have a more difficult time overcoming crisis situations, and crises can cause communities to be impoverished that weren’t previously.

As a community that cares about poverty alleviation, it’s important to stay up-to-date on what’s happening and how to best help those impacted. Crisis situations happening in 2023 include but are not limited to…

*Lifting Hands International, a long-time partner of Because International, works to provide support to displaced communities in Turkey.*

Earthquake recovery in Turkey and Syria

In February 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck parts of Turkey and Syria, where millions of refugees were already displaced. According to Turkey’s Ministry of Interior, 2.6 million individuals are living in tent cities, and another 1.6 million are living alongside their damaged homes.

The war in Ukraine

The sudden war in Ukraine created the world’s largest and fastest displacement crisis in decades. While the country has received large amounts of international support, millions of families are still in need of basic resources.

Food insecurity in Sudan and South Sudan

On top of recovering from a civil war that ended in 2018, both Sudan and South Sudan have experienced severe weather like droughts and floods, disease outbreaks, and continued conflict—further exacerbating the levels of poverty and malnutrition for millions and millions of people on the brink of starvation.

Poverty in Afghanistan

When power shifted in Afghanistan, the country fell steadily into economic collapse, forcing the community into poverty and causing many to be at risk of food insecurity, violence and exploitation—especially women.

Droughts in Somalia

Increased droughts brought on by climate change, coupled with years of conflict, have left millions to starve in Somalia. More than 90% of the country relies on wheat imports from Russia and Ukraine, where war continues to rage on, leaving communities at risk of losing their lives from a lack of nutrition.

Unfortunately, these examples are just a sliver of the crises happening in the world right now—339 million people in 69 countries are reported to need assistance this year alone (The New Humanitarian).

How Because International supports crisis situations

Thankfully, poverty alleviation efforts have been making positive strides around the world, and Because is on a mission to continue taking steps towards a world where all people thrive. While we focus most of our efforts on absolute poverty, we recognize that there can be overlap between the two.

These communities often need shoes, and The Shoe That Grows—a shoe that expands five sizes—can meet this need in a more effective way than traditional shoes. To distribute pairs of The Shoe, we work with our partners who are on-the-ground in these communities to identify where shoes are needed. Since launching, we’ve been able to distribute pairs to families displaced by conflict in Syria, to children orphaned after the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, to refugees in camps in Turkey and Syria, and more.

To join us in providing a pair of durable, lasting shoes to families impacted by crisis situations, join The Sole. Your monthly donation of any amount will help ensure that all families have access to shoes, a basic necessity.

A secondary way that we provide relief to communities impacted by crisis is by partnering with entrepreneurs who have products and businesses that can make a difference. Of the entrepreneurs who have gone through our Because Accelerator, many of them have experienced or witnessed crisis and developed innovative products to help with these situations. Your donations to Because International help these entrepreneurs grow their businesses to reach more people, create more jobs, and make a difference in the world.