{
  "id": 1844165,
  "title": "Help us close our doors by building a world that needs less aid",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/help-us-close-our-doors-by-building-a-world-that-needs-less-aid",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-19T01:04:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/opinion/op-eds/help-us-close-our-doors-by-building-a-world-that-needs-less-aid-1.500644499"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The ultimate aim of humanitarian organizations is not to expand their programmes, budgets, or geographical reach but to achieve a day when human suffering is no longer required to exist. On World Humanitarian Day, we commemorate the efforts made to save lives and ease suffering, but the occasion also prompts us to consider the question of what we truly want humanitarian work to achieve. Do we aim to manage crises indefinitely, or to build communities capable of overcoming challenges on their own? The first organized humanitarian initiatives emerged over a century and a half ago, driven by the conviction that human dignity should never be hostage to war, poverty, or disaster. Over time, humanitarian action has grown exponentially, saving lives, restoring education, livelihoods, and providing support during the most trying times. However, crises continue to proliferate, and millions still struggle with access to education, healthcare, security, and stability. The true measure of success is not the number of crises responded to, but the suffering prevented and the number of people who no longer require aid. Humanitarian work should not be judged by the volume of aid provided but by its ability to reduce the need for aid. True success lies in helping children learn without interruption, families stand independently, and communities withstand adversity without losing everything. Resilience, access to essential services, and the values of solidarity and shared responsibility must be strengthened to pave the way for recovery, stability, and development. Our responsibility goes beyond providing immediate help; it involves building resilience, expanding access to education, healthcare, and livelihoods, and embedding compassion and collective responsibility within societies. The Big Heart Foundation, like other humanitarian organizations, will continue to support people until the day the world becomes a more just, resilient, and capable place to live. Until then, we remain committed to being present wherever people are in need, supporting them until the day no longer requires our assistance.",
  "summary": "At first glance, this title may seem unusual coming from a humanitarian foundation. Yet the greatest success any humanitarian organisation can achieve is not to expand its programmes, increase its budgets, or extend its reach to more countries. It is to reach a day when its mission has been fulfilled — when people no longer need its services. On World Humanitarian Day, we usually pause to honour…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}