Many candles. One light.

We live in a world overshadowed by darkness. Millions of people are facing conflict, displacement, climate-related disasters, and poverty. But even the smallest act of compassion can shine brightly in the darkness.  

This Christmas, our message is simple: Many candles. One light. Each gesture, each donation, each prayer, each word of kindness is a candle lit against despair. And when these candles come together, they form one powerful light of hope and solidarity.  

Philippines: Malteser International provides emergency aid

Cologne/Manilla. Within the space of just a few days, a second severe typhoon made landfall in the Philippines over the weekend. Around 1.4 million people had to be evacuated. Many areas are currently still cut off from the outside world because the telephone network and internet are down. Together with the Philippine Association of the Order of Malta, Malteser International is preparing emergency aid, facilitated by its regional branch, MI Asia Pacific. Local partners will begin distributing non-perishable food, mattresses, blankets, and water containers to 1,000 families in the province of Cebu.

Prevention that saves lives: German teams practice for global cholera response

Cologne/Oestrich-Winkel. From November 6th to 9th 2025, comprehensive cholera response training for German emergency medical teams will take place in Oestrich-Winkel, Hesse. The aim of the training is to jointly establish a rapidly deployable care unit for cholera patients. 
In view of increasing and prolongier cholera outbreaks worldwide, the Association of German Emergency Medical Teams has decided to set up a rapidly deployable cholera unit.

Malteser International: “Millions of lives are at risk”

Cologne/Cox's Bazar/Kakuma. The latest global cuts in international humanitarian aid budgets, including those by the German government, which has reduced its support by more than half, is having devastating consequences. While the number of people in need of assistance continues to climb, now reaching around 300 million, funding is shrinking. The health sector is particularly affected by the cuts. “These cuts could cost millions of lives worldwide,” says Kees Zevenbergen, program director at Malteser International, citing the example of health care in two of the world's largest refugee camps: Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh and Kakuma in Kenya. A total of 1.3 million people who have fled conflict and persecution are now losing access to medical care.