Four causes. One mission: dignity for the most vulnerable.
Orphans and Widows’ Economic Empowerment
Context
There are over 600,000 orphans in Yemen alone (UNICEF and Yemen Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, 2014, the last verified national estimate; humanitarian organizations believe the figure now exceeds 1.1 million), and more than 64,600 registered orphans in Gaza (Palestinian Ministry of Social Development, May 2026). Around 80% of displaced people in conflict zones such as Yemen are women and children, and at least one in four displaced households is female headed (USA for UNHCR, 2025). Widows and single mothers in crisis zones face loss of income, legal barriers, and social exclusion, preventing them from attaining even the most basic of needs for their children.
SDI's response
Orphan sponsorships covering food, education, and healthcare; vocational training for widows and single mothers in food production, tailoring, digital literacy, and small business; cash and voucher assistance for female-headed households; and psychosocial support for children affected by conflict.
Target groups
• Orphans under 18
• Widows and single mothers in conflict-affected areas
• Female-headed households below the poverty line
Active geographies
MENA, Africa
Key activities
1. Quarterly orphan sponsor reports to donors.
2. Vocational training cohorts (3-month cycles).
3. Business startup micro-grants.
4. Legal aid referrals for widows.
5. Child-friendly spaces and PSS sessions.
Evidence base
ILO (2022): Income-generating programs for women in conflict zones reduce household food insecurity by up to 43%. UNICEF (2023): Orphan sponsorship improves school retention by 61% in crisis settings.
Child & Women Health and Mental Healthcare
Context
Globally, 45 million children under five suffer from acute malnutrition (UNICEF Global Nutrition Report 2023). In conflict zones, over 70% of communities lack access to any mental health services (WHO 2022). Health systems in Gaza, Sudan, and Yemen have functionally collapsed.
SDI's response
The provision of therapeutic feeding through Community Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), a grassroots approach that treats malnourished children within their own communities rather than in hospitals, addressing both Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM); prenatal and postnatal care; child health screenings and immunization support; psychosocial support and mental health first aid; and mobile health units reaching hard to reach areas.
Target groups
• Children under 5 with acute malnutrition
• Pregnant and lactating women
• Conflict-affected adults and children with trauma symptoms
• Communities without functioning health facilities
Active geographies
MENA, Africa
Key activities
1. Community management of Acute Malnutrition CMAM ( CMAM) site establishment and staffing.
2. Therapeutic feeding — Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) distribution.
3. Nutrition surveillance and screening.
4. Group Psychosocial services PSS sessions for women.
5. Individual PSS for children.
6. Referral pathways to secondary health facilities.
Evidence base
WHO (2022): community-based CMAM reduces acute malnutrition mortality by up to 75% at scale. UNICEF (2023): PSS programs for conflict-affected children significantly reduce PTSD symptoms within 12 weeks.
Education Access
Context
250 million children are out of school globally (UNESCO 2023). 40% of out-of-school children live in conflict-affected countries. Children with disabilities are among the least likely to access education in crisis settings, and girls face disproportionate exclusion.
SDI's response
SDI will support education through temporary and fixed learning facilities for communities experiencing man made or natural disaster displacement, including refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs); teacher training in trauma informed and inclusive instruction; school supply kits; inclusive education for children with disabilities; girls' education stipends and safe school programs; and non formal education for adolescents who missed foundational schooling.
Target groups
• School-age children (5–17) in displacement or conflict settings
• Children with physical or cognitive disabilities
• Girls in areas where attendance is restricted
• Adolescents who missed primary school due to conflict
Active geographies
MENA, Africa
Key activities
1. Temporary learning space setup and rehabilitation.
2. Teacher recruitment, vetting, and training.
3. School kit distribution (bag, books, stationery).
4. Disability-inclusive classroom adaptations.
5. Girls' clubs and safe space programming
6. Graduation ceremonies and community celebration events.
Evidence base
UNESCO (2023): each additional year of schooling raises earnings by 8–10%. UNICEF: education in emergencies reduces protection risks for children by 40% versus unstructured settings.
Emergency Relief: Rapid Response in Crises
Context
Worldwide, 239 million people need humanitarian assistance. At the end of 2025, 117.8 million people were forcibly displaced by conflict, violence and persecution, including 68.7 million internally displaced people and 41.6 million refugees, meaning more than one in every 70 people on Earth has been forced to flee (UNHCR, Global Trends 2025). Sudan is now the world's largest displacement crisis, and in Gaza around 3 million people have faced extreme levels of violence and destruction (OCHA, 2025). Aid agencies aim to reach 135 million of them in 2026 (OCHA, Global Humanitarian Overview 2026).
SDI's response
Rapid first phase response to conflict, displacement and natural disasters. (Including: distribution of emergency food parcels and ready to eat rations, multipurpose cash and voucher assistance so displaced families can meet their own priority needs through local markets, and emergency shelter and essential household kits (non-food items). Winterization and seasonal protection for vulnerable, displaced households. Coordination with humanitarian clusters and local responders for fast needs-assessment and referral.
Target groups
• Newly displaced families, both internally displaced people and refugees.
• Households affected by conflict, sudden onset disasters and protracted crises.
• Returnees rebuilding after displacement. Communities cut off from functioning markets and basic services.
Active geographies
MENA, Africa, Americas and South Asia
Key activities
1. Rapid needs assessment and beneficiary registration.
2. Emergency food parcel and ready to eat ration distribution.
3. Multipurpose cash and voucher assistance.
4. Emergency shelter and non-food item kit distribution.
5. Winterization and seasonal support.
6. Referral and coordination with humanitarian clusters and local partners.
Evidence base
Doocy and Tappis (Campbell Systematic Reviews, 2017): unconditional cash transfers and vouchers may improve household food security among conflict affected populations, and cash based approaches can meet immediate needs faster than commodity distribution because of reduced logistical complexity. CALP Network (2025): there is growing evidence that multipurpose cash is more cost efficient and cost effective at meeting multiple basic needs than separate in-kind responses.