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One year ago the first Ivorian refugees arrived to the refugee camp Little Wlebo in Liberia. The camp managed by The Danish Refugee Council was to be temporary – but is now a home for almost 5000 refugees.

Destroyed houses, burnt farmlands, looting and pillaging in the Central African Republic (CAR) have forced the conflict affected population to live in abject poverty in inhuman conditions. Recent assessments by the Danish Refugee Council points to the fact that more humanitarian assistance is needed if an even bigger crisis is to be avoided.

Returning Afghan refugees and internally displaced people are living in muddy slum areas of the cities in Afghanistan. They have no possessions and no opportunities. The International Society is not aware of the dire living conditions of this vulnerable group, says Ann Mary Olsen, head of the International Department of the Danish Refugee Council.

Most shelter for internally displaced, a school and several health facilities were destroyed or damaged when a storm hit Northern Sri Lanka on Saturday. The Danish Refugee Council is providing emergency aid to limit the consequences for the families affected.

Through the Danish Refugee Council Business Partnerships in 2011 small Danish companies have instilled hope for 70 women and their families in Kabul in Afghanistan. The women have been given a tailor education, which now enables them to support themselves.

More than 15.000 Syrian refugees have fled to North Lebanon with nothing more than a few clothes. They are unable to flee any further and completely dependant on the assistance they get from the Danish Refugee Council.

More than 15.000 Syrian refugees have settled in the Wadi Khaled Area in the North of Lebanon since the conflict began. According to UNHCR the number is likely to increase significantly. Despite poverty and lack of possibilities the local community consisting of only of 40 – 50.000 people have opened their arms to the refugees arriving.

In the wake of recent fighting against Al Shabaab, a fragile peace has now been established in several districts of the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Despite this achievement, Somali communities face huge challenges as the country continue to suffer from a broad range of security and safety problems. Safety at community level represents one of the most imminent and difficult tasks to pave the way for humanitarian aid and development.

Conflict and drought are affecting the population in Mogadishu, where thousands are entirely dependent on emergency relief. However, the situation is changing for the better, says Danish Refugee Council's Secretary General, who has just returned from the Somali capital. The Danish Refugee Council will increase its focus on long term sustainable solutions.

Four million people are in need of basic relief aid in Somalia. That is the message from UN and humanitarian organisations in the country in an appeal launched in Stockholm. The total cost of the needed relief effort needed assessed to be $1.5 billion.

The Danish Refugee Council is among the 148 humanitarian organisations presenting the so-called CAP (Consolidated Appeal Process) alongside the UN. At an estimated $1.5 billion the cost of providing basic relief aid in Somalia in 2012 represents an increase of fifty percent compared to the year before.