ASSI Humanitarian support is aid and action designed to save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain and protect human dignity during and in the aftermath of emergencies. The characteristics that mark it out from other forms of foreign assistance and development aid are that:

• It is intended to be governed by the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence
• It is intended to be short-term in nature and provide for activities in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. In practice it is often difficult to say where 'during and in the immediate aftermath of emergencies' ends and other types of assistance begin, especially in situations of prolonged vulnerability.

In many countries where ASSI works, even minor shocks and stresses can have devastating and long-term effects on families - their health, safety, livelihoods, access to clean water and sanitation, food and housing.

ASSI provides humanitarian assistance to people affected by disasters and complex emergencies; helps governments, NGO's, local organizations, and communities better manage risk and respond to emergencies when they arise; and integrates efforts to help reduce vulnerability to disasters into all of its ongoing programs.

ASSI emphasizes identifying the most vulnerable in remote, hard-to-reach areas or in difficult and crowded urban centers; and we engage children, youth, women, the disabled, the elderly and marginalized groups. ASSI utilizes rigorous methodologies to assess the underlying and precipitating trends associated with vulnerability.

ASSI dedicates itself to close coordination and collaboration with local, national and international partners, so that communities receive, participate in, and provide leadership to seamless programs. We also dedicate ourselves to working closely with and strengthening local capacity to prevent, mitigate, respond to and recover from shocks and stresses, including forging strong partnerships with government agencies, local NGOs, community based organizations, households and individuals.

ASSI integrates a robust focus on women, girls, youth, the elderly, disabled, and marginalized populations into the design, implementation, and evaluation of its programs.