Safe for the first time

Protect and care for survivors on board

Buba is 18 and comes from Gambia. He has tried to flee across the Mediterranean to Europe already three times. Twice he was intercepted by the so-called Libyan coast guard and taken back to Libya to prison. "But I didn't give up. I had to keep trying to see what God would do for me in the future." On his third attempt, he was rescued by Humanity 1 in international waters off the coast of Libya. "When I saw the rescue boat coming towards us, I asked the others on the boat if this was really a rescue. Even though the boat was so close and I could see it was a rescue boat, I couldn't believe it. I tried to cross the sea twice. Both times I had to go back to Libya. But this time it went forward. That really changed my feelings."

Background

According to the UNHCR, more than 125,000 people fled across the Mediterranean in 2022 – the deadliest escape route in the world (IOM). The rescued people often suffer from severe states of exhaustion. On board the Humanity 1, all those rescued are greeted and welcomed. By greeting them the team tries to smell their clothes to determine if there is petrol on their bodies. If someone smells of petrol, the person has to go straight into the shower to avoid possible burns. For many, it is their first shower in days or even months.People rescued from distress at sea often suffer from dehydration and malnutrition. The care team attends to the first needs and offers high-calorie food to the rescued so that they can regain their strength as quickly as possible.Humanity 1 is a safe place where people are treated with dignity and respect and can feel human again often for the first time on the run. The Care Team is responsible for making people feel safe and comfortable on board. By creating special spaces for children and women, vulnerable people in particular can feel safe. Children come together, play, paint or just be happy. In our protected spaces, children can be children again.On deck, part of the team is responsible for the barbershop: men talk about what they have experienced while they get their hair done and shaved.

The good deed

With today's good deed you support the first aid for rescued people on board the Humanity 1. The care team identifies and cares for injured, sick, pregnant and vulnerable people and initiates appropriate measures. There is an infirmary on board equipped with respirators, surgical instruments and essential medicines. A midwife performs births and is always available for babies, toddlers and pregnant women. In addition to providing medical care, a large part of the team's work involves looking after the people on board. In protected rooms, women and children can talk about what they have experienced. The aim is to improve general as well as medical and psychosocial first aid in the central Mediterranean and to help people in distress at sea. People can process their experiences after rescue, which leads to the strengthening of their physical and mental well-being.