On the 15 August 2021, the Taliban took control of Kabul. The speed and ease with which the Taliban took control surprised most of us watching, but while we looked on in horror from the comfort of our living rooms, for many, the impending return of Taliban control brought very real danger. Dr Awrangzeb enjoyed a life in Kabul many of us could relate to, but as he looked on at their advance to the capital, he started to panic.

Two weeks on from the COP-26 conference in Glasgow, and the climate crisis has begun to slip from the headlines. But World Jewish Relief, along with the entire humanitarian sector, is continuing to unpack the outcomes of the conference.

World Jewish Relief's Chief Executive, Paul Anticoni, takes a deeper look into Europe's current refugee crisis and how we're responding to the growing needs of refugees as the crisis expands. The ongoing surge in migration into the European Union is rapidly becoming the largest and most complex facing Europe since the Second World War. According to the UNHCR, over 590,000 have arrived by sea so far in 2015.

Each year on the 13th October, the UN encourages every global citizen and government to step up their efforts to reduce the devastating impact of disasters around the world, through campaigning, hosting events and awareness raising. This International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is a chance to acknowledge the important progress that has been made toward reducing losses of lives and livelihoods, but also to reflect on the challenges that threaten to undermine this progress.

In late-August, World Jewish Relief launched an emergency appeal, with support from the UK Jewish community, to assist people being forced to flee Afghanistan. We are responding to the urgent needs of Afghans who have fled to Turkey, and of those who are arriving in the UK via Government resettlement programmes.

On 14th August a deadly 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti, devastating much of the country. An estimated 2,200 people died, tens of thousands were injured, and homes and public buildings were destroyed in an instant. World Jewish Relief immediately launched an emergency appeal, and reached out to our local partner Haiti Survie to determine Haitians’ urgent humanitarian needs, and how we might assist.

As a lifelong supporter of World Jewish Relief, I have long admired how the organisation empowers people to reach their full potential. From assisting individuals to find employment, to improving resilience so communities can better respond to disasters, and helping older people become more comfortable and independent in their own homes: dignity is at the heart of its work.

This week World Jewish Relief launched an emergency appeal to help people being forced to flee Afghanistan. Following the Taliban’s insurgency many, including women, girls and ethnic minorities, are facing acute threats to their safety and security and have no choice but to try and escape.