IMPACT Initiatives

📉 As humanitarian assistance declines, the economics of displacement are becoming impossible to ignore.

Two recent assessments, one with Ukrainian refugee households in Moldova, one with returnees in Sumska Oblast, Ukraine, point to the cost of displacement and the financial pressure refugees and internally displaced people are facing.

In Moldova, most refugee households have reached a degree of stability: Temporary Protection status, jobs, access to services. But half report having no savings at all, and those who do are spending them on rent, utilities, and food, not building resilience. As humanitarian cash assistance shrinks, that buffer is thinning further.

Inside , the picture is starker. High rental costs and financial pressure push households to return from western areas to unsafe communities on the frontline – alongside the equally powerful pull of access to their own homes, familiar services, livelihoods, and family ties. For many households, the choice to return is a deliberate trade-off between physical risk and the opportunity to regain economic and social wellbeing.

Together, these trends underscore the financial burden of displacement, whether within or outside the country. As humanitarian assistance declines, insufficient financial support risks worsening living conditions for displaced people and may contribute to decisions to return to unsafe areas, raising important protection concerns.

Access the reports via the link in the first comment.

The newly published sixth edition of The State of the Humanitarian System report by ALNAP offers a timely warning. As resources shrink and the humanitarian system adapts to a period of contraction, we must be careful not to roll back some of the sector’s most important achievements.

Over the past decade, the humanitarian community has invested heavily in strengthening our understanding of needs, improving data systems, and listening more systematically to the priorities and preferences of affected populations. These efforts have not been perfect, but they have fundamentally improved how we understand crises and make response decisions.

However, these gains are under pressure. As the humanitarian system contracts we must preserve the critical capacities built over the past two decades, including robust information systems, strong accountability mechanisms and the standards that underpin effective, people-centred humanitarian action.

🔗 Access report: https://buff.ly/ur1raiw

The State of the Humanitarian System (SOHS) report 2026 The State of the Humanitarian System 2026 looks at the period from January 2022 to December 2025, as well as drawing comparisons with our previous editions to take a longitudinal view.

As of 11 September 2026, the Ebola outbreak has expanded to 62 health zones across eight provinces in DRC, with 7,022 confirmed cases and 3,398 deaths.

IMPACT has produced a new regional mobility analysis, which highlights how population movements may contribute to the continued spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) across northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries.

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀:

🔴 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝘀-𝗨𝗲𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱: Affected areas of Bas-Uele province have expanded to three health zones (Buta, Ganga, Vladana), and new confirmed cases have been reported in Bulu Health Zone of Sud-Ubangi province. The continued expansion to new provinces highlights the continued challenges in response capacity and delayed detection.

🔴 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝘂𝗱𝗮𝗻: Confirmed cases in Sud-Ubangi and Bas-Uele provinces present two high-risk crossing points to Central African Republic at Bangui and Bangassou. Markets in Gemena Health Zone serve the wider region with trade connections to Kinshasha, Bangui, Nord-Ubangi, and more and has regular movement flows from the newly affected Bulu Health Zone. Livestock trading and movements between Sud-Ubangi, and Bangui peak during September via Zongo Health Zone, meaning health officials in Sud-Ubangi and in Bangui should consider monitoring livestock trade routes and sites as soon as possible.

🔴 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸: Given the pace of transmission to new areas, it is of immediate importance to work with partners to quickly expand PoE/PoC, surveillance capacity, and RCCE activities to not only recently affected provinces (Bas-Uele, Sud-Ubangi) but already to identify and work with partners to provinces of farther downstream risk such as Maniema, Nord-Ubangi, and Mongala.

The analysis reinforces the importance of targeted surveillance, risk communication and community engagement, and point of entry preparedness efforts while maintaining the movement and trade networks that are essential for local livelihoods.

Access the most recent mobility analysis in the first comment.

From Evidence to Action: Key Insights from IMPACT’s 2025 MEAL Review

At IMPACT, we aim to apply the same evidence-driven approach to assessing our own performance as we do to our research.

Our 2025 Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) Review provides valuable insights into the reach, quality, and use of our research, helping us strengthen our impact and continuously improve the way we work.

A few highlights from this year's review:

✅ More than 1,200 research products disseminated in 2025;

✅ Evidence informed humanitarian response and prioritization decisions in 77% of active crises;

✅ 75% of partners reported using IMPACT products for operational planning and strategic decision-making;

✅ More than 90% of partners rated our research as relevant, reliable, and high quality.

The review also points to key priorities for the future: improving the timeliness and accessibility of evidence, investing in more integrated and participatory research approaches, and strengthening how we measure performance, learn, and adapt.

As humanitarian needs continue to evolve, so must the way we generate and use evidence. These lessons will help ensure our research remains actionable, relevant, and responsive to decision-makers' needs.

Access the MEAL Review link in the first comment.

🔴Critical levels of acute malnutrition in Akoka County, Upper Nile State, South Sudan.

A SMART survey conducted across all five payams of Akoka County (Benthiang, Riang, Rom, Baichan and Akoka) between 11 and 16 June 2026 paints a deeply concerning picture of the nutrition situation.

The survey found a Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) prevalence of 28.8% (95% CI: 23.7-34.4), placing Akoka in IPC Acute Malnutrition Phase 4 (Critical) and alarmingly close to the 30% threshold for Phase 5 (Extremely Critical). Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) reached 9.8% (95% CI: 6.5-14.3), more than double the emergency threshold of 4%.

Mortality indicators also point to a worsening public health crisis. The crude mortality rate was estimated at 1.18 deaths per 10,000 people per day (95% CI: 0.69-2.01), exceeding the emergency threshold. While the under-five mortality rate remained below emergency levels at 1.16 deaths per 10,000 children per day (95% CI: 0.41-3.21), it remains highly concerning when viewed alongside the extreme levels of malnutrition.

Several factors among others are driving this crisis:

• Critically low coverage of preventive health services, including measles vaccination (55.1%), Vitamin A supplementation (50.8%), and deworming (51.9%).

• Extremely poor infant and young child feeding practices, with only 3.5% of children aged 6-23 months receiving a minimum acceptable diet.

• Maternal malnutrition at emergency levels, with 26.8% of pregnant and lactating women acutely malnourished.

• Severe WASH challenges, with 67% of households relying on unimproved water sources, 96% not treating water, 76% practicing open defecation, and 97% lacking access to soap.

• Livelihoods under extreme strain, with 98% of households using emergency coping strategies and 20% experiencing severe or very severe hunger.

These findings reinforce warnings already highlighted in the April 2026 IPC Acute Malnutrition Projection Update, which projected Akoka's deterioration towards IPC Phase 5 (Extremely Critical) – link in first comment.

Akoka is not an isolated case. In Guit County, Unity State, GAM prevalence has reached 36.2%, exceeding the IPC threshold for Phase 5 (Extremely Critical). Together, these findings underscore the rapidly deteriorating nutrition situation in South Sudan and the urgent need for scaled-up, multisectoral action to save lives and prevent further deterioration.

What are the current patterns of Ebola spread?

IMPACT has produced a new regional mobility analysis, which highlights how population movements may contribute to the continued spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) across northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries. As of 16 August 2026, the outbreak has expanded to 55 health zones across six provinces, with 4,945 confirmed cases and 2,325 deaths.

🔴 Key findings:

● Outbreak expansion continues: Bas-Uele Province reported its first Ebola-related death, while affected areas have continued to expand across Haut-Uele and Tshopo provinces, increasing the geographic footprint of the outbreak.

● Cross-border transmission risks are growing: Mobility patterns indicate heightened risk along key transport corridors linking affected areas to the Central African Republic through Bondo Health Zone and to South Sudan through Faradje and Aba Health Zones, highlighting the need for increased preparedness in these border areas.

● Major road and river networks remain critical transmission pathways: New cases have consistently emerged along primary transport routes, underscoring the need to strengthen surveillance, preparedness, and Point of Entry/Control measures in key market towns and transit hubs.

The analysis reinforces the importance of targeted surveillance, risk communication and community engagement, and point of entry preparedness efforts.

🔗 Access the most recent mobility analysis through the link in first comment.

On 16 August 2026, authorities reported 101 new confirmed cases and 33 deaths in the previous 24 hours, bringing the national total to 4,945 confirmed cases and 2,325 deaths, with Ituri remaining the overwhelming epicentre, accounting for almost 85% of all confirmed cases. Transmission remains intense and several treatment centres in Ituri and Nord‑Kivu are now approaching saturation, underscoring the urgency of strengthened surveillance, infection prevention, and community engagement. Last week a new province - Bas-Uele, which borders South Sudan - had a new confirmed case.

While there are no current cases in South Sudan or Uganda, Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) and other preparedness activities remain important due to the continued risk of cross-border transmission from the DRC. REACH teams in South Sudan and Uganda conducted research to highlight gaps, and opportunities, for strengthening Ebola preparedness across border and mobile communities.

📊 In South Sudan (Yambio, Kajo-Keji, Nimule, and Juba)

• High awareness, but low perceived risk. While most respondents had heard of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), personal risk perception remained low, particularly in Juba.

• Strong demand for information. More than 80% of respondents in Kajo-Keji, and Yambio requested additional information on EVD, highlighting continued information needs.

• Health workers and local leaders emerged as the most trusted sources of information, especially in areas with limited access to radio. The findings also point to gaps in understanding and implementation of screening and reporting systems.

📊 In Uganda, among refugee communities in the North and Western regions, and Kampala:

• Moderate risk perception, with only 57% of respondents considering themselves personally vulnerable to EVD.

• Persistent knowledge gaps around reporting mechanisms and safe burial practices, despite strong awareness of handwashing measures.

• Trusted community channels remain key, with health workers, community health volunteers (CHVs), and community leaders identified as the most credible messengers.

Together, the assessments underscore the need for localized, practical, and trusted RCCE approaches that reflect how communities move, communicate, and seek care.

🔗Access the two reports and more resources about the Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak (link in the first comment)