In the Middle East, THW operatives have been providing assistance to refugees and internally displaced people (IDP) since 2013, and in 2014 they also started providing aid to refugees in Germany. Worldwide there are 60 million displaced people fleeing war, conflict and persecution. The numbers were never as high as they are today. Many have fled to Europe, but even more remain within the borders of their country – internally displaced.

Almost 60 millions of people across the world are displaced or have involuntarily left their home. The reasons why people flee their country are manifold. Volunteers from the Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) have contributed their share to improve the situation of refugees in Germany and the Middle East. The multitude of competences, which are required from THW, ranges from setting up tents to logistic tasks.

The history of the country, personal experiences, trauma and non-violence – these were the main issues during the “Peace Summer Camp” which took place in mid-July near Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina. More than 100 young people from all the country’s ethnic and religious groups took advantage of the event for sharing and exchange. Nine THW international specialists from Bavaria set up the infrastructure for the one-week educational youth encounter in the Igman mountains.

The earth often quakes – most recently in Ecuador, Myanmar and Japan. On April 25, 2015, a severe earthquake of magnitude 7.8 struck Nepal, at the roof of the world. In regions around the capital, Kathmandu, almost 9,000 people lost their lives and 100,000 were seriously injured. Many more lost their homes and any access to clean water. Experts from the THW Rapid Deployment Unit Water Supply Abroad (SEEWA) were deployed as part of the immediate emergency intervention and immediately set about alleviating the problem with lack of potable water in Nepal.