A watertight drum, a packet of seeds, a school kit. These simple items have the power to save lives, protect dignity and build resilience for people bracing for a disaster.
The items are all part of anticipatory action – providing at-risk communities with life-saving early warning systems and tools before a disaster strikes.
Instead of waiting for floods to inundate fields, droughts to destroy crops or storms to demolish homes, anticipatory action uses data and forecasting to identify risks. By predicting where and when disasters are likely to occur, funding, supplies and personnel can be pre-positioned, giving communities what they need to prepare and persevere.
OCHA is advancing this life-saving approach through the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the world’s largest supporter of humanitarian anticipatory action. Here are three examples of how timely assistance transformed lives in the face of disaster.
Shaheda Begum knows all too well the devastation caused by Bangladesh’s annual floods. Fortunately, things were different in 2024. A CERF-funded project by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) gave Shaheda a silo drum and 50 kg of cattle feed.
The watertight, multipurpose drum became a safeguard for more than just livestock feed – it also stored seeds, medicine, documents and other valuables. When the floodwaters receded, Shaheda’s livestock survived and she was ready to replant her crops.
“If I give this food to my cows, they will be healthy and I can sell them at a higher price,” Shaheda explained.
The cost was US$10 per drum and $1 for distribution – a small investment with life-saving results.
In Niger, drought often forces families to reduce the number of mouths to feed by pulling girls out of school and arranging child marriages. But this has devastating long-term consequences for these girls.
A CERF-funded project implemented by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) is breaking this cycle by offering girls a powerful tool against poverty and exploitation: education. In 2024, nearly 1,300 girls at risk of dropping out of school received scholarships, school kits and home tuition, enabling them to stay in school despite the looming drought.
One such girl is Zeinabou. The 16-year-old narrowly avoided early marriage to a 57-year-old man. Her father had already accepted a dowry of 300,000 CFA ($470).
But when UNFPA’s scholarship programme reached Zeinabou’s village, her mother, with support from the village chief, ensured her enrollment in school. She finished in the top 5 of her class that year and is optimistic about getting her diploma and continuing her studies.
The cost of safeguarding Zeinabou’s education is $72 for primary school, $101 for secondary school and $136 for high school.
In southern Madagascar, where droughts are relentless, Georgette, a single mother of three, found hope in a simple but transformative solution: millet seeds that resist rot during drought, unlike the maize traditionally grown by these communities.
Through a CERF-funded project led by FAO, Georgette received the seeds ahead of a failed rainy season. The millet thrived, despite the harsh climate, providing her family with much-needed nourishment and a renewed sense of security. Georgette was able to sell her surplus millet, earning enough to send her children to school and cover other essential needs.
“Thanks to this project, I’ve learned to grow millet. I was able to send my children to school. We are more hopeful about the future,” she explained.
This modest intervention alleviated immediate hunger but also restored dignity and resilience to Georgette and her family.
Anticipating climate disasters
OCHA’s Centre for Humanitarian Data supports projects with data to guide decisions on anticipatory action. The Centre analyses risks, such as droughts and floods, creates early warning systems and helps set clear triggers for when to act. By bringing organizations together and making vital information easy to access, the Centre ensures timely, effective interventions that reduce suffering before a crisis worsens.
Recognizing the increasing threat of climate-related disasters, OCHA launched the CERF Climate Action Account at COP28, supporting humanitarian action for climate shocks.
Anticipatory action is not just about objects; it’s about lifelines. It’s about empowering communities and building a more resilient future for all.
