Fabo members responding to the Venezuela earthquake
When two powerful earthquakes struck north-central Venezuela on 24 June, 2026, communities across Caracas, Carabobo, La Guaira, Miranda and Aragua were left facing collapsed buildings, damaged infrastructure and widespread disruption to essential services. According to official reports, more than 1,943 people have lost their lives, over 10,500 have been injured, and more than 43,200 people remain reported missing, making it one of the country's deadliest natural disasters in recent history. With aftershocks continuing and thousands of families displaced, humanitarian needs remain immense.
Across the Fabo Learning Community, members have mobilised through the ACT Alliance, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and long-standing partnerships with local organisations. Within the ACT Alliance, Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe and HEKS/EPER (Swiss Church Aid) are leading the initial operational response in close collaboration with local partners, while other alliance members are mobilising financial and technical support.
Although each organisation contributes in different ways, they share a common commitment to locally led humanitarian action built on trusted relationships established long before disaster strikes.
Health, search and rescue, and psychosocial support
Through the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, Danish Red Cross is supporting the Venezuelan Red Cross as it deploys ambulances, carries out search and rescue operations, provides first aid and emergency medical care, and offers psychosocial support to affected communities. Despite damage to its own headquarters and the fact that many staff and volunteers have themselves been affected by the earthquake, the Venezuelan Red Cross continues to operate eight hospitals and 34 health clinics, providing life-saving care across the affected areas.
ACT Alliance members are also strengthening health services through their local partners. Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is supplying health centres with emergency medical supplies while integrating mental health and psychosocial support into its response for children, adolescents, caregivers and other affected community members. Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe is supporting emergency medical assistance and psychosocial support through its local partner organisations.
Together, these organisations recognise that recovery begins not only with treating physical injuries but also with supporting people's emotional wellbeing and resilience.
Shelter, food security and essential relief
Thousands of families have lost or damaged their homes, making emergency shelter and basic household assistance urgent priorities.
Through the ACT Alliance:
- Lutheran World Federation (LWF) together with local partners and church networks, is providing emergency shelter support, food assistance, non-food item kits and dignity kits while building on its existing programmes in affected communities. Volunteers are being trained on the spot to assess the evolving needs of survivors.
- Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe is distributing tents, mattresses, blankets, household water filters and other essential relief supplies through local partners.
- Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER) is supporting the joint ACT Alliance response, contributing to rapid needs assessments and the delivery of emergency assistance alongside alliance partners.
- Act Church of Sweden is mobilising support for shelter, food, safe drinking water and other immediate humanitarian needs through ACT Alliance partners.
In addition HELVETAS is supporting affected communities through its partner organisations in Venezuela, reinforcing locally led humanitarian action.
Rapid needs assessments carried out by ACT Alliance members and their partners continue to inform the scale and priorities of the response.
Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)
Damage to water infrastructure has increased the risk of waterborne disease and created an urgent need for safe drinking water and sanitation.
Building on existing programmes, LWF has integrated water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) activities into its emergency response.
Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe is supporting communities with household water filters and other WASH supplies, helping families regain access to safe drinking water while reducing health risks.
These interventions build on years of investment in community resilience and local partnerships rather than establishing new emergency structures.
Resource mobilisation
Responding to a disaster of this scale requires both operational capacity and financial solidarity.
Several ACT members are helping mobilise resources to strengthen the collective humanitarian response.
- Finn Church Aid has allocated emergency funding from its disaster fund to support LWF's response in Venezuela.
- DanChurchAid is raising funds to support the ACT Alliance emergency response and help scale up assistance for affected communities.
- Act Church of Sweden is mobilising financial support for the ACT Alliance response while working with partners to identify emerging needs and priorities.
These contributions enable organisations already operating in Venezuela to expand their activities quickly and reach more people in need.
Coordination and locally led response
One of the defining features of this response is the emphasis on coordination and local leadership.
Lutheran World Federation, Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe and HEKS/EPER are jointly leading the ACT Alliance's operational response in Venezuela. Together, they have carried out rapid needs assessments and are coordinating closely with local churches, community organisations, Venezuelan authorities, United Nations agencies, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and other humanitarian actors.
Their response builds on years of collaboration with local partners through programmes in health, water and sanitation, nutrition, legal assistance, psychosocial support and community resilience. Rather than creating parallel systems, they are strengthening existing local capacities to deliver life-saving assistance.
At the same time, Finn Church Aid, DanChurchAid and Act Church of Sweden are mobilising financial resources and supporting the alliance's collective response, demonstrating how different organisations contribute according to their strengths.
Whether responding through the ACT Alliance, the Red Cross Movement or local civil society partnerships, Fabo members are contributing to the response in different but complementary ways, reflecting their respective mandates, expertise and partnerships.
