We are closely monitoring a number of humanitarian disasters and assessing them against our criteria for launching an appeal. Often our member charities are responding to these crises already and we encourage people who wish to help to donate to them.

Local aid workers are at the heart of delivering aid in Gaza, Lebanon, the West Bank and Syria. Many continue to live and work in unimaginable conditions, facing great personal risks as they help others to survive and live with dignity.

Through these images they share a snapshot of their life and work.

In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, DEC funds are supporting an innovative project that delivers regular food baskets to people's homes, thanks to a network of volunteer cyclists.