World Humanitarian Day 2020 – #RealLifeHeroes – Habitat for Humanity Trinidad & Tobago

What do you call a person who runs towards danger to save others? Who is undaunted by disease, famine, drought, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, locusts, conflict zones—and now the COVID-19 pandemic?

Would you call that person a hero?
We would, too.

Each year, World Humanitarian Day focuses on a theme, bringing together partners from across the humanitarian system to advocate for the survival, well-being, and dignity of people affected by crises, and for the safety and security of aid workers.

This year, the already difficult work carried out by humanitarians has been made even more so by the COVID-19 pandemic. On World Humanitarian Day we pay tribute and give a heartfelt thanks to these #RealLifeHeroes who help others, no matter how daunting.

Here at Habitat Trinidad and Tobago, we are celebrating our own #RealLifeHeroes from the Comùunity and Administration Departments. These are the people with the closest contact with our homeowner families, supporting them through the application and building process for their repairs, renovations and completions of the new homes. But they went above and beyond during the first lockdown from March through May, reaching out to the families to help them navigate the uncertainty of that time. With supplies of hygiene and sanitation kits from our donors, packaged food items from other NGOs, and a compassionate ear on the other end of the telephone, they made a real difference to some of the most vulnerable people in our country.