Photo by RET au Niger, © RET Germany

In August, we marked World Humanitarian Day with a look at what localization means in practice, checked in on a new transit center for children in eastern D.R. Congo, and heard from our team in Burundi, where theatre and dialogue are opening up hard conversations in schools.

Read on to discover how you can support our work and make a difference today. 👇

📸 This Month’s Cover Photo

From August 10 to 12, 2026, Niamey hosted the 3rd edition of the YouthConnekt Sahel Forum, bringing together young people from 10 countries, alongside representatives of governments, regional institutions and technical and financial partners. For three days, the discussions focused on the same ambition, that of strengthening the place of young people in the construction of a sovereign, resilient, innovative and prosperous Sahel. 

At the RET booth (pictured), participants learned about the organization’s work and take part in an interactive activity, sharing advice and messages with young beneficiaries of the CIGABA project who are pursuing professional or entrepreneurial paths. It was a tangible way to give young people a voice and foster the sharing of experiences, ideas, and advice relevant to their journeys. 

👉 Read the full story: https://theret.org/2026/08/lbn/ret-germany-and-youthconnekt-sahel-2026-turning-youth-potential-into-opportunities/

This Month at a Glance

1. World Humanitarian Day: We Don’t Wait, We Act
2. D.R. Congo: A New Transit Center for Children Escaping Armed Groups
3. Burundi: Theatre and Dialogue Reach 44 Schools
4. Contigo Venezuela: An Update on RET’s Earthquake Recovery Efforts
5. RET Americas is Recruiting Board Members 

1️⃣ World Humanitarian Day: We Don’t Wait. We Act.

What happened: August 19 was World Humanitarian Day. RET marked it by explaining how localization, its founding operating model, plays out in real emergencies.

Why it matters: RET works through local staff and local partner organizations rather than sending in international teams. It’s slower to build, but it means RET can respond in hours instead of weeks when a crisis hits.

• Lebanon: A long-standing partnership with GATE Lebanon reaches communities on food security and protection that outside teams alone couldn’t reach with the same trust or speed.
• Venezuela: RET activated RECOM, its regional emergency mechanism, the same day two earthquakes struck the northern coast in June. With 15 years of on-the-ground presence, this meant there was no relationship-building left to do while people were still under rubble.

Bottom line: Solidarity has to be in place before a crisis hits, or it arrives too late to matter.

🔗 Read the full article: https://theret.org/2026/08/ret-news/world-humanitarian-day-we-dont-wait-we-act/ 

2️⃣ D.R. Congo: A New Transit Center for Children Escaping Armed Groups

What happened: RET Germany teams visited Bukavu in July to check progress on a new Center for Transit and Orientation, built with local partner BVES for children and adolescent girls affected by armed conflict in eastern Congo.

Why it matters: The center will give demobilized children, especially girls who survived sexual violence, a safe place to recover: psychosocial support, catch-up education, vocational guidance, and case follow-through.

• 720 demobilized children will be supported, 624 of them girls.
• 720 families and guardians will be coached to provide stable, protective homes.
• 300+ community leaders, including women leaders, youth representatives, teachers, and local officials, will be trained in child protection.
• An interim center in Mudaka already houses 36 residents, including 14 adolescent mothers and 6 pregnant girls.

🔗 Read the full article: https://theret.org/2026/08/drc/inside-d-r-congos-new-transit-center-for-children-escaping-armed-groups/

3️⃣ Burundi: Theatre and Dialogue Reach 44 Schools

What happened: In July, RET ran three separate activities across three provinces in Burundi, each targeting a different barrier young people face in school.

Why it matters: Each effort reaches a group that’s easy to overlook. They’re students who need frank health information, adolescent mothers who’ve dropped out, and the school governance structures that decide what happens next.

• Rumonge: A theatre troupe performed at 44 schools, using realistic scenarios and follow-up discussion to open conversations on unwanted pregnancy, gender-based violence, and responsible behavior.
• Kirundo and Cibitoke: A separate campaign reached adolescent mothers who hadn’t yet returned to school, walking them through what reintegration actually looks like.
• In the same two communes, RET began work with School Management Committees and Parent Committees at 15 schools to build stronger local governance.

Bottom line: Reach students directly, support those most excluded, and build the local structures that make change last.

🔗 Read the full article: https://theret.org/2026/08/bdi/in-burundi-theatre-and-dialogue-bring-youth-health-education-to-44-schools/

4️⃣ Contigo Venezuela: An Update on RET’s Earthquake Recovery Efforts

What’s happening: Following June’s earthquakes and over 1,200 aftershocks, RET continues its coordinated humanitarian response in La Guaira, Miranda, and the Capital District.

Why it matters: Aftershocks are ongoing and needs remain high. Coordinated relief keeps aid effective and prevents duplication across agencies.

By the numbers:

• 3,000+ beneficiaries reached in August alone, via educational institutions and temporary camps in La Guaira and Miranda
• 800 people received direct medical care through a community outreach event in Catia La Mar
• 6,075 cumulative beneficiaries across 10 locations to date

What was distributed: Medical supply kits, food and child hygiene kits, family hygiene kits, school supplies, and water.

Staying coordinated: RET participates in the Venezuela INGO Forum and multiple OCHA clusters, including Education, Protection, Nutrition, Logistics, and Coordination.

How you can help: Support RET’s response through the Contigo Venezuela campaign on GlobalGiving: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/contigo-venezuela/

5️⃣ RET Americas is Recruiting Board Members

What’s happening: RET Americas, a 501(c)(3) and member of the RET Alliance, is forming a small, high-caliber board to help guide the organization through its next chapter.

Why it matters: The humanitarian funding landscape is shifting fast. RET Americas is strengthening its governance now so it stays agile, resilient, and well-positioned for the future.

• Board members will provide strategic guidance, serve as ambassadors to funders and institutions, support advocacy and policy engagement, and help position RET Americas for long-term sustainability.
• This isn’t a donation ask. It’s an invitation to a conversation about whether RET’s mission aligns with what matters to you right now.

Interested? Write to r.mannaert@theret.org and b.dwork@theret.org by October 31.

🎁 How YOU Can Make a Difference Right Now 

We’re continuing to collect funds for emergency relief work in Venezuela. For U.S. supporters: RET is registered as a 501(c)(3), and your donation may be tax-deductible. There’s more than one way to give:

👉 Donate through our Global Giving fundraiser: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/contigo-venezuela/ 

For U.S. supporters: RET is registered as a 501(c)(3), and your donation may be tax-deductible. 

• General donations: https://theret.org/donate 
• Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs): http://theret.org/donate/dafs/ 
• Employee and corporate matching: http://theret.org/donate/employee-matching/ 

Thank you for being part of our global community! 

Together, we’re saving lives, changing futures, and building hope. 

Until next month,

RET International HQ

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