European hotspots
Today, more than 120 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide. Armed conflicts, political crises, climate disasters, and economic inequalities are pushing millions of people onto the roads of exile, often in extremely precarious conditions.
Along these migration routes, displaced people are exposed to cold, hunger, violence, and exploitation, with very limited access to healthcare and essential goods.
Forced migration is not only a challenge for those who flee: it also raises questions about our societies’ capacity for reception, solidarity, and justice. It puts pressure on our social systems, while also revealing the potential of strong civic engagement.
In response, Van for Life acts at its own scale, providing rapid, targeted, and complementary support to local organizations already active on the ground.
For more details on this subject, please refer to this document.
Our approach
In response to these situations, Van for Life provides rapid, targeted, and complementary support to local organizations already mobilized. We believe that collaboration between actors and the pooling of resources allow for more efficient and needs-based responses in priority areas.
Aware of our limited resources, we have chosen to intervene on a targeted and occasional basis, where needs are most urgent.
Our approach is based on two fundamental principles :
- operational responsiveness, through logistics that can be mobilized quickly
- complementarity with local actors, in order to strengthen existing systems without creating duplication
In Geneva, two emergency vehicles are permanently ready for deployment, reinforcing our capacity for direct intervention in critical areas.
Our actions
We have intervened in several crisis contexts across Europe, providing logistical and material support to local actors :
Andalusia (Spain) : following an analysis of the situation of migrant workers, particularly in the “sea of plastic” we conducted an exploratory mission in the provinces of Almería and Huelva.
We met with local organizations and beneficiaries to identify priority needs and provided initial material support (hygiene products, blankets, essential goods), laying the groundwork for more sustained engagement.
Franco-Italian border : we supported organizations active in the Hautes-Alpes region (Briançon, Oulx, Col de Montgenèvre), assisting migrants facing extreme mountain conditions and strong security pressure.
We provided essential aid to meet immediate needs (warm clothing, tents, blankets, food, water, and hygiene products).
Calais & surrounding area : we supported organizations assisting migrants living in highly precarious conditions while waiting to cross to the United Kingdom.
In this challenging context, we contributed to the distribution of essential goods (food, water, hygiene products, and basic supplies).
Belarus–Poland border : we supported NGOs operating in the Białowieża forest, assisting migrants trapped in a militarized and isolated area under extreme weather conditions.
We provided material support and deployed an off-road vehicle for several months, improving access to remote areas.
Geneva & Switzerland : we carried out an initial intervention for unaccompanied minor refugees hosted in a reception center in Geneva, in collaboration with the Hospice général.
This six-month intervention combined material support (equipment, clothing) and socio-professional assistance, laying the foundation for a long-term integration project.
Emergency Fund & Priorities 2026
In response to the growing number of crises and the decline in available resources, Van for Life is developing an emergency fund to strengthen its capacity to act.
This mechanism allows us to respond more quickly, support more local actors, and expand our areas of intervention, particularly in emerging contexts.
Our priorities :
- Funding exploratory missions
- Assessing needs to ensure appropriate responses
- Strengthening resources to sustain our actions
To help us develop our Emergency Fund and continue supporting local organizations in European hotspots, you can make a donation to Van for Life by specifying “Emergency Fund”. Every contribution makes a difference!
