Our Favorite Photos of 2022

Project HOPE’s photographers traveled more than 82,000 miles to capture our work this year—enough to circle the globe three times—bringing back nearly 4,000 photos from around the world.

They saw the devastation of war and the aftermath of disaster, but also the hope and resilience that show the best of humanity.

Here are some of our favorite shots they brought back this year, along with some behind-the-scenes from the people who took them.

Urgent Care for Ukrainian Refugees

From photographer Jon Brack:

“In Moldova, Project HOPE collaborated with SAMU, a medical aid organization from Spain providing hands-on care to Ukrainian refugees in shelters around the country. These shelters were often in empty, old, Soviet-era schools, but the families living there were doing their best to make them warm and homey, and even on cold, winter days, the sounds of playing children echoed through the halls. Project HOPE and SAMU performed health checks on dozens of children every day who had recently crossed the border from Ukraine.”

>> Read more: Crisis in Ukraine: How to Help

Lifesaving COVID-19 Vaccines in the South

From photographer Emily Nichols:

“Donald and Sandra live in the small rural community of Toccoa, Georgia and access a range of health care services for free through Open Arms Clinic. With Project HOPE’s support, they were also able to get vaccinated and stay protected against COVID-19. Minutes after receiving their vaccine, they received news that Sandra’s daughter and granddaughter tested positive for COVID-19. Since Donald and Sandra both have pre-existing health conditions, they were especially thankful for the opportunity to access life-saving vaccines in their community.”

>> Go Inside the Clinics Vaccinating Communities Across the South

Support for Hurricane Survivors in Florida

Hurricane Ian was one of the strongest storms to ever hit the United States, devastating communities along Florida’s coast. Project HOPE’s Emergency Response Team provided psychological first aid, medical support, and much-needed supplies within evacuation shelters, special needs shelters, and health clinics. In total, our teams distributed more than 250,000 relief items including medicines, diapers, bedpans, infant supplies, chronic disease supplies, hygiene kits, water, non-perishable food items, and first-aid kits in Charlotte, Collier, Lee and Sarasota Counties.

>> Read more: Hurricane Ian: How to Help

The Love of a Mother in Ethiopia

From Courtney Ridgway, Project HOPE media relations manager:

“This is an image taken by James Buck from Project HOPE’s work in Ethiopia, depicting a mother and her two children at Dubti Hospital in Semera this fall where Project HOPE works to enable access to lifesaving medical care. The mother, Selam, and her two children traveled over 100 miles to reach this hospital because their local health facility was looted and was unable to provide medication for her 10-month-old daughter, Diarra, who is sick with malaria. Selam has raised children and lost family members against the backdrop of conflict in Ethiopia and yet she persists. In this work, we so often see images of extreme suffering, but I love that this photo depicts a deeply resilient and powerful Ethiopian woman and her two children in a moment of happy relief as she celebrates that her daughter’s condition is improving.”

>> From the Field: The Day the Health Workers Returned

The Joy of Children in the Dominican Republic

From photographer Marie Arago:

“In the top photo, Diana, center, is pictured with her twin baby girls, her mother, and a nurse who cared for her at the San Lorenzo de Los Mina Maternity Hospital in Santo Domingo. I like this photo because it shows a lot of joy—the joy of babies and being a new mother, the joy of being a grandmother, and for the nurse, the joy of doing work that you love.

“In the bottom photo, I photographed Angelika and her mother, Angelaure, in Los Rieles, a neighborhood in La Vega, Dominican Republic. I chose this photo because Angelika is one of the cutest little girls I have ever met. She was so healthy and happy. I loved meeting her family who are from Haiti, where I lived for eight years. Being able to spend time with them, speak Kreyòl, and hear about Angelaure’s positive experiences with her pregnancy at the local Sabaneta health clinic made me really happy.”

>> Our Work: Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health

Support for Venezuelan Migrants in Colombia

From photographer Marie Arago:

“I met Damaris, pictured with her daughter, Dani, and their dog, Bobi, at a workshop led by a fantastic organization called Corporación Mujer Denuncia y Muévete that offers in-depth training sessions to pregnant women. Damaris kindly welcomed me in her home where she lives with other Venezuelan immigrants in the small Colombian border town of La Parada. Every time I started to photograph Damaris, her dog would run in front of her. It seemed like he was insisting on being photographed, too.”

>> Photos: The Journey Venezuela’s Mothers Endure

A Refugee’s Resilience in Poland

From Liz Carmines, Project HOPE social media manager:

“It broke my heart to read the stories of mothers who had to flee from Ukraine and bring their ill children to a hospital in a foreign country as a refugee. The smile on their faces in this photo demonstrates their strength, resilience, and hope in a time when it may have seemed all hope was lost. To be part of an organization that played even a small part in that, by ensuring they had access to lifesaving health care throughout the war, makes me proud to be part of Project HOPE.”

>> From the Field: What I Saw Inside a Trauma Ward in Kyiv

The Enduring Strength of Ukraine’s People

From Meg Landis, Project HOPE web manager:
“There were many outstanding images that came out of the Ukraine crisis. It feels surreal knowing this war is happening halfway across the world, yet when you see someone standing in the rubble, in what used to be their village, it comes crashing back to you. This photo is so powerful to me in so many ways. We see a woman surrounded by a destroyed building as it crumbles around her, but then you learn more about the woman. She was first a volunteer in the village before Project HOPE was even able to get in to help. She was there from the start and now works for our Ukraine team helping other Ukrainians find the relief they need. Moments like this turn a tragedy into a beacon of light for humanity coming together against those who want to harm. She gives me hope that we will all prevail.”

>> What Our Global Team Members Are Thankful For