Support children impacted by the Ebola crisis, and other emergencies around the world

What’s happening?
A deadly Ebola outbreak is spreading rapidly across the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In just a few days, cases have surged to over 540 reported infections and more than 130 deaths, with numbers doubling rapidly. Two cases have also been confirmed across the border, in Uganda’s capital city Kampala. There is currently no specific vaccine or treatment available for this Ebola strain, increasing the urgency of rapid contacttracing and prevention tactics.

Basic, lifesaving supplies – like protective equipment (PPE), disinfectant, and safe isolation spaces – are concerningly scarce in some areas. At the same time fear and misinformation risk accelerating the spread. Children are not only at risk of infection, but also family separation, psychological distress, being cut off from routine healthcare and protection services, dropping out of school, child labour and early marriage.

Families in the DRC were already facing conflict and displacement and healthcare is severely limited, making it harder to trace contacts and contain transmission. We urgently need your support to prevent this deadly virus spreading further and keep children safe.

How Save the Children is helping families in DRC right now 
Health response: Supporting health facilities in affected areas to detect, isolate and manage Ebola cases safely. This includes providing personal protective equipment (PPE), establishing screening, training health workers on Ebola protocols, and continuity of essential health services.

Nutrition: Integrating nutrition support into the Ebola response so children and families affected by the outbreak can safely isolate and recover, while continuing to access essential nutrition services

Child protection: Protecting children from the wider impacts of the outbreak, including family separation, stigma and exploitation. This includes identifying and supporting children who have lost caregivers, providing psychosocial support, strengthening referral systems, and activating community-based protection.

Community education: Working with communities to stop the spread of Ebola through trusted, local-language information, tackling misinformation, and supporting families to stay informed and protected.

Education: Helping keep children safe and learning. Where schools remain open, we support hygiene measures, screening and teacher training on Ebola prevention and reporting. If schools close, we provide alternative learning through home-based materials, radio education and child-friendly spaces.

Water and sanitation: Providing clean water and chlorine for disinfection — one of the most effective tools available where no vaccine exists. 

How you can help
Your donation could help us respond to this crisis, and other forgotten crises around the world.

£10 could provide soap and basic handwashing materials to help families protect themselves from infection, and £25 could equip a community volunteer with essential protective supplies to safely share life-saving information

Your donation will be used wherever the need is greatest, supporting children to stay healthy, safe and learning.