GENEVA [11th March 2026] The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today launched One life at a time, a new global storytelling platform to show how coordinated humanitarian action saves lives every day in crises around the world.

The initiative comes at a moment of unprecedented humanitarian need. More than 300 million people worldwide require humanitarian assistance, while funding gaps and public scepticism increasingly challenge the international aid system.

One life at a time aims to shift the narrative around humanitarian action, moving beyond statistics to focus on the human impact of aid. While public concern about global crises remains high, humanitarian leaders say many people struggle to see how aid translates into real, tangible results. Through powerful stories from crisis-affected communities and frontline responders, the platform highlights what humanitarian action makes possible: a child receiving lifesaving medical care, a family reunited after displacement, a community rebuilding after a disaster.

“Behind every humanitarian response is a person whose life has changed,” said Kirsten Mildren, Chief of Public Engagement, UNOCHA. “One life at a time helps people see that humanitarian action is not about statistics that are hard to grapple with, or an abstract construct that doesn’t make a tangible contribution. It is real, measurable and happening every day.”

The platform also focuses on transparency and evidence, showing how humanitarian funding moves through the system from global appeals to local responders and how those resources translate into real-world results.

By connecting human stories with operational insights, the initiative aims to give the public, policymakers and partners a clearer understanding of how modern humanitarian response works.

The launch reflects a core principle of the humanitarian system’s ongoing reform agenda, known as the Humanitarian Reset: that effective humanitarian action depends not only on delivering aid, but on maintaining public trust and understanding.

“At a time of rising crises, political pressure and intense scrutiny of international institutions, humanitarian leaders have acknowledged clearer communication about impact has become essential,” Kirsten noted.

“Developed in partnership with global social impact communications agency Shape History, One life at a time brings together humanitarian leadership, strategic communications and creative storytelling. We’re urging the sector to explore a new way to unite and tell stories, focusing not just on campaigns, but on ecosystems that represent every individual, country and audience to better understand the positive contribution humanitarian aid makes to our lives around the world every hour and every day.”

OCHA will also work with partners across the humanitarian sector to explore how the platform can serve as a shared storytelling framework, enabling organisations and frontline responders to contribute stories and perspectives from crises worldwide.

Rather than a single campaign, One life at a time is designed as a sustained global platform, bringing humanitarian stories into policy forums, media coverage, digital channels and cultural conversations.

Because while no single organization can end every crisis, humanitarian action really can still make a difference — one life at a time.

Find out more: https://www.unocha.org

Notes to Editors

Tom Fletcher, UN Crisis Relief Under Secretary General, today unveiled a global solidarity league table of the countries stepping forward to meet the humanitarian aid crisis. For 2026, that list is led by

Those who disbursed more than $100 million include: The United States, the European Commission, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and Norway.

Those who disbursed more than $50 million include: Denmark, United Arab Emirates, Belgium and Qatar.

Those who disbursed more than $5 million include: Saudi Arabia, France, Korea, Italy, the Netherlands, Australia, Spain, Ireland, Kuwait, Türkiye, Austria,

China and Luxembourg.

Making the 10 most generous countries per capita last year are Norway, Luxembourg, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, Türkiye, Kuwait, Switzerland.

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