20 Years of Humanitarian Logistics GoHelp by DHL

GoHelp, the DHL Group’s disaster management program, looks back on 20 years of providing crucial assistance when it was needed most. Since its inception, GoHelp teams have been deployed in 77 disaster areas and have handled and processed around 70,000 tons of life-saving aid in collaboration with leading humanitarian organizations at airports. GoHelp has evolved and solidified its position as a trusted logistics partner in the humanitarian sector.

(Bonn) “Our work under GoHelp has shaped the way logistics is integrated into global emergency responses,” said Thomas Ogilvie, Chief Human Resources Officer and Labor Director at DHL Group. “Our compass for these activities is our corporate purpose: connecting people, improving lives. We focus our offerings on our core competencies and do what we do best: organizing logistics services in any environment.”

Humanitarian Aid on Commercial Standards

Founded in 2005, GoHelp aimed to elevate the logistics of humanitarian aid to commercial standards to facilitate and accelerate responsiveness in disaster situations on a global scale. The initiative arose in response to the increasing frequency and severity of humanitarian crises and highlights the need for coordinated logistics solutions in emergencies where every second counts.

At the heart of GoHelp’s activities are the “Disaster Response Teams” (DRT) and the initiative “Get Airports Ready for Disaster” (GARD), which together form a foundation for disaster management in partnership with UN agencies. As a long-standing partner of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), GoHelp has earned a reputation for reliability, speed, and innovation in humanitarian logistics.

It All Started with a Pilot Program

It all began with a pilot program in December 2004, when DHL’s DRT supported the logistics of humanitarian aid at Colombo Airport in Sri Lanka following the Indian Ocean tsunami. With its logistical expertise, the DRT sorted and distributed over 7,000 tons of relief supplies, laying the groundwork for the official launch of the disaster management program in 2005. Kim Melville, VP Humanitarian Affairs and Sustainable Aviation, said: “By closely collaborating with UN agencies and the leading humanitarian organizations in the world, we have developed logistical solutions to support disaster relief. In critical situations, the aid arriving from around the world must be processed and its logistics coordinated. That is our task.”

The first official DRT deployment followed shortly after in response to the devastating earthquake in Pakistan on October 8, 2005, where the team ensured a swift and efficient transfer of international aid to the affected areas. The GARD initiative, launched in 2009 to enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, and impact of disaster response at airports, played a crucial role for the first time during the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti in January 2010.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, DHL Group’s logistics expertise came into play once again. DHL delivered two billion vaccine doses to over 175 countries in 2021 and 2022. The company demonstrated the importance of logistics in public health response. In Costa Rica, the DRT and local volunteers from DHL Global Forwarding provided early support in 2020 by training local people, assisting in the establishment of a distribution center for COVID-19 relief supplies, and ensuring the efficient distribution of critical aid.

Demand for Efficient Disaster Response at an All-Time High

As global natural disasters increase, the humanitarian sector faces financial constraints. Therefore, the approach to humanitarian aid is evolving. “With the increasing impacts of climate change, the demand for rapid, efficient, and effective disaster response is at an all-time high. Well-trained personnel are crucial for the success of any humanitarian initiative,” said Mayyada Ansari, Global Head of GoHelp.

Academy of Humanitarian Logistics

Building on the experience gained, GoHelp has introduced a third pillar this year – alongside DRT and GARD. Preparation and empowerment are the goals of the “DHL Academy of Humanitarian Logistics”. It equips humanitarian organizations with the necessary skills to better manage and execute aid deliveries. The academy includes online training, practical workshops, logistics assessments, expert consulting, and digital learning modules aimed at enhancing logistics competencies so that people in emergencies can receive help faster and more effectively. DHL employees can also get involved. “Together, we are building a future where every response is faster, smarter, and more effective, so that organizations on the ground are ready when disaster strikes – and resilience is already in motion,” said Ansari.

Photos: © DHL