After a difficult year, sharing our hopes for 2025

This year, nearly 300 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance and protection due to conflict, climate emergencies and other drivers. The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza has seen over 40,000 people killed, 80% of buildings on the strip destroyed, and half the population facing famine. 

Conflict continues to rage in Sudan, creating the world’s largest humanitarian crisis and displacing over 10 million people. And countries including - but not limited to - Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Democratic Republic of Congo require humanitarian assistance due to protracted crises that have fuelled displacement, poverty, inequality and hunger.

With such hardship and devastation, it can be difficult to be positive. But here at Concern, while we witness people dealing with extremely difficult circumstances in our 25 countries of work, we also see transformations in these communities, the successes that aid and development work can have, and the generosity of our donors. 

Going into 2025, we asked just some of Concern’s staff from around the world to reflect on 2024, and share their hopes for the new year. As always, we remain hopeful that 2025 will be a brighter year, and we will continue to work towards our mission of ending extreme poverty, whatever it takes. 

We are coming to the end of 2024. Despite all the challenges and growing humanitarian needs, the year was inspirational. We completed our first year of operations in Yemen, reaching thousands of affected people with lifesaving health, nutrition, water and sanitation services. The moment I cherish is bringing back the smiles to displaced families in Al-Anad camp who were hit by a devastating sandstorm. I did the needs assessment when everything was destroyed, and we provided them with shelter, water and sanitation services.

In 2025, I hope for peace in Yemen. I wish the 4.5 million people displaced for over 8 years would start returning to their homes and rebuild their lives. I wish for economic stability and access to food, health, and other essential services for all people in Yemen who are currently suffering from one of the worst humanitarian crises.

Wishing you all a happy new year!

Liza Abdo is a MEAL Officer at Concern Yemen.

I am very fortunate to do the work that I do. Travelling to our programme countries has given me a first hand look at the work that the dedicated staff from Concern do, in our mission to reach the furthest behind. As I look back on 2024, I would like two highlight two trips that I did this year and how different they were from each other.

My 2024 began in Marsabit County in Kenya. Together with Shaloam Strooper, we had the opportunity to spend time with the wonderful girls and boys who, thanks to the generous support of Datatec, have received assistance in learning STEM subjects through the provision of mobile laboratories and science kits.  Seeing the joy of the students and the enthusiasm of the teachers was incredibly uplifting. 

As the year went by, I was able to travel to South Sudan with my colleague Jon Hozier-Byrne. Going in, I sort of knew what to expect. I had read numerous articles and watched several documentaries on the flooding crisis in Unity State. But nothing truly prepares you for when you’re in country, hearing first hand accounts from the communities directly impacted by the floods. From mothers being forced to feed their babies the bulbs of the water lily plant, to fathers sacrificing their own meals to ensure there is food for their children.

When you’re hearing these stories on mainstream media outlets, they can feel distant. Something happening far away from your own reality. But when you’re standing in a recently flooded village listening to a mother as she describes her harrowing life experiences, it becomes personal. As I look into 2025, I hope that we as the humanitarian community can continue building on the lessons learned in the field. That we can continue strengthening our response systems and ensuring that aid is not just immediate, but sustainable. I also hope that those who have lost so much through floods, conflict and displacement - find the strength to rebuild and that we can walk alongside them with dignity and support. 

Eugene Ikua is regional mobile journalist in Nairobi.

The highlight of 2024 was being on the campaigns team. We held the first ever joint campaign event between Ireland and the UK - a webinar on climate resilience. We also organised a webinar series during the European Parliament elections. My colleagues Sinead and Victoria delivered workshops at events held at the Mary Robinson Centre, where they met THE Mary Robinson! Engaging with so many fantastic individuals and introducing them to Concern’s work, while also participating in youth and activist spaces, was inspiring.

We also got to work with amazing Concern colleagues across directorates and country teams who gave their time and got involved in our webinars, workshops, summer schools, Summit of the Future youth dialogues and declaration, panel discussions, the youth climate ambassador programme, climate cafes and our climate festival COP ON. 

Looking ahead to 2025, the campaigns team has a variety of actions, activities and workshops planned. However, selfishly, my main hope for 2025 is that I, as the last person in Ireland who has not met Michael D Higgins, will finally get a chance to do so before his term in the Áras ends. 

 Laura O’Connor is the Political Engagement and Campaigns Manager in Concern. 

This is my fourth year working with Concern, based in Turkana County, Kenya. Over my career journey, I have worked with a number of international, national, local and faith-based organisations, each explicating admirable vision to having a society free from poverty. I am thrilled working with Concern, and do you know why? Everyone in Concern is living up to the mission: “Ending extreme poverty whatever it takes.” In every small way we put a smile to the faces of children, women and men whose livelihoods have been shuttered by the unwavering shocks and challenges putting their lives at stake.

2024 was a blessed year. I personally grew from Officer Position to Manager, a dream come true. In my position, and with the support from my able team, over 400,000 individuals across Turkana County have had improved access to clean and adequate water at their proximity. Looking at women tending to their children, and other household chores, a thing they find difficulty doing, due to increased workload of having to fetch water from distant water points, is satisfying. One woman told me: “I am able to wash more often than before.” It’s satisfying to see children take a meal, with the cash support through our good friends USAID, Foundations and Academic Institutions. Through their support, women and young people have ventured into savings and loaning to increase their access to income and basic food needs. It is a milestone! In 2024, courtesy of our country director, Ms Wairimu, I had a memorable trip to Naivasha away from my routine environment. Good moments!

Every new year is a gift. I am very optimistic that in 2025, we will reach out to more people challenged by circumstances, to have a normal life; a life full of acceptance, resoluteness and the urge to be better every day. I also trust that our donors will also grow both in numbers and support. With adequate funding and support, Concern can deliver its programmes and transform the communities its committed to support. We can also expand our horizons and reach out to more across regions and boundaries. God bless our efforts!

Natalina Lopeyok is Programme Manager overseeing livelihoods at Concern Worldwide Kenya. 

As we approach the end of 2024, I want to reflect on the past 12 months. In a year of increasingly prolonged crises, driven by conflict and climate change, we have seen the resilience of our teams in action on many occasions - including...

In Lebanon, Concern’s team responded to the worst displacement crisis in the country’s history, providing protection and shelter to displaced Syrian and Lebanese people in the north of the country. In the Horn of Africa, despite the multiple conflict-related challenges across the region, Concern teams continue to make progress. This is typified by the ambitious Hanaano programme addressing child wasting in the cross-border areas of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia. The Central Africa and Haiti region was also affected by conflict. Despite this, the DRC team has led an FCDO-funded consortium for protection and nutrition activities in the four most conflict-affected provinces of the country.

All of this work is supported by our offices in Ireland, the UK, the US, and South Korea whose teams provide strategic direction, technical expertise, fundraising, and operational support to maximise the impact of our work.

I am immensely proud to lead Concern into 2025 as we continue to meet our goal of reaching the furthest behind.

Dominic Crowley is CEO of Concern Worldwide.