Our Story

Everything can change in a moment…

It was September 2015 and Salam Aldeen watched the coverage of the refugee crisis unfolding in the Mediterranean from his home in Scandinavia. Scores of refugees, boat after boat, arrived on the shores of the small Greek island of Lesvos with little more than the clothes on their backs after a treacherous journey across the sea that had claimed so many.

News had broken of a little Syrian boy, three-year-old Alan Kurdi, whose body had washed ashore on the coast of Turkey; the small inflatable boat he had traveled on with his family and 16 other refugees had capsized only five minutes after their departure towards Greece.

This was a moment that changed everything for Salam Aldeen; he had no formal background in aid work or advocacy, but people needed urgent help and he knew there had to be something he could do. He booked the first available flight to Lesvos, rushing to the coast and began his work. That’s how Team Humanity got its start.

Over the months and years that followed, through an ever-growing network of local and international partners, Team Humanity has established itself as an agile first responder during times of crisis, conflict, and natural disaster. We go wherever we are needed, and we do whatever we can to provide the resources that are essential for survival, dignity, and care. At the core of our work is the sacredness of every human life, that deserves protection and support. You can learn more about the projects we have carried out over the years in our Projects section, and browse articles and videos in our Media section.

Team Humanity has remained a 100% donations-funded humanitarian organization throughout its near-decade of existence, and relies on support from generous donors and partners to deliver the life-saving humanitarian services we provide. We keep our overhead low by working with volunteers and skipping the flashy promotions so every dollar contributed can make the greatest impact on the ground. We hope you’ll consider a donation to our work, and help us spread the word by sharing about our projects on social media.

Together towards a safer, more peaceful world for all,