More than 1.9 million people — 85% of the total population of Gaza — have been displaced, including nearly 1 million women and girls.

Amidst the destruction and despair, Sahar, a 47-year-old displaced women herself, is leading efforts to provide refuge and hope for women-led families in Gaza.

A humanitarian worker with Palestinian Development Women Studies Association (PDWSA), an ActionAid partner, Sahar has built a dedicated camp for displaced women and their families, under incredibly challenging conditions. 

In Gaza, where women now lack basic necessities like water, hygiene products and protection from violence, Sahar's camp offers a lifeline.

“Women in displacement camps face long queues for water and food, and shelters offer almost no privacy. We lack resources to address gender-based violence or provide safe spaces for women in life-threatening situations," Sahar says.

By donating to our Christmas appeal, you are helping partnerships like this to grow.

A £50 donation this Christmas could help a refugee community set up a safe space for women and girls. 

Rama and her family are Rohingya refugees and came to Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh — the world's largest refugee settlement — after fleeing persecution in Myanmar in 2012. 

In Bangladesh, it was very hard for anyone to find work outside the camp. This meant Rama and her family struggled to buy basic necessities and she couldn’t afford to send her children to school.

ActionAid partnered with the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) to set up the Camp Coordination and Camp Management Project (CCCM) at Cox’s Bazar in 2005. Through this project, Rama and many other refugee women are able to get jobs in site management at the camp.

As a Site Manager, Rama has enrolled in training in cyclone preparedness, first aid, water safety and fire safety. Her role is to keep the camp safe and conduct women's awareness sessions around these topics.

This is particularly important as Cox’s Bazar is prone to climate disasters like flooding and wildfires.

"I like that I am working and doing something good for my community and people", Rama says.

With this job, Rama learns new skills, plays a critical role in camp safety, and earns an income so she can provide for her family and send her children to school.

By donating to ActionAid, you directly support projects like the CCCM and enable more women to get jobs and become financially independent. 

A £20 donation this Christmas could help cover the cost of a one-day workshop for ten women on business skills, leadership or women's rights.

Ira fled to Poland after the Russia-Ukraine war devastated her home. She escaped with her five-year-old son, but her husband, a border guard in Ukraine, had to stay behind. Although she found accommodation, Ira had no income and no one to talk to about her struggles.

Ira discovered Conflict Kitchen, a social foundation and cafe co-created by refugees. Conflict Kitchen unites people from across the world through food, and also offers essential services like legal advice, counselling, and classes. One of their key initiatives is the Refugee Dance Club, where people can exercise together and support their mental health.

Now, Ira is a dance teacher at the club. Connecting with other women facing similar challenges has helped her begin to heal and settle into her new life in Poland.

"They support people from all backgrounds, different countries, religions, and beliefs. You can be yourself, and everyone understands," Ira says.

By donating to our Christmas appeal, you could help ensure that initiatives like these continue to support people like Ira.

A £10 donation this Christmas could pay for a displaced woman to receive an hour of one-to-one support with a caseworker, to help them resettle and rebuild their life.