Our mission consists in making the world a better place by alleviating human suffering and promoting humanitarian values.

Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH) helps people in crisis situations to become self-reliant and regain responsibility for their future as soon as possible. At the same time, we concentrate our efforts on Polish society, with a view to shape humanitarian attitudes and create a modern culture of aid. The guiding principle of PAH is to act efficiently in due respect of human dignity. Our principle, applied from the very moment of foundation of PAH, is to provide aid regardless of nationality, race, religion or party of conflict.


Our organisation was established on 12th December 1992, initially as the EquiLibre Foundation, and from December 1994 under its present name. In 1992, Janina Ochojska started organising convoys with donations for the inhabitants of Sarajevo. It was the first initiative of this kind, which provided an opportunity for Polish society to provide aid to people suffering as a result of war, which was taking place not far away from their own country. PAH’s activity served as a mobilising factor for people from different social backgrounds. They were determined to help and to show their solidarity with people in need. Thanks to their commitment, we were able to organise a series of spontaneous aid actions. We concentrated mainly on immediate aid, by sending convoys with donations to satisfy the basic needs - food, medicine, rehabilitation equipment and other necessities indispensable to survive in the situation of war or natural disaster.

Our aid reached many parts of the world, where we have dealt with various crises and observed different ways of bringing aid. Thanks to these experiences, we have developed and specialised our sphere of activity to a large extent. Nowadays, we concentrate mainly on providing long-term assistance, for the purpose of ensuring sustainable and stable development in the regions suffering the consequences of war or natural disasters. But still our objective is to involve the whole society in supplying aid. We provide the opportunity to participate in our activities – one can support PAH as a volunteer or as a donor. In this manner, we promote the view that everyone can participate in providing aid, accordingly to their resources. Such an attitude contributes to creating a culture of tolerance and global responsibility in our country.

The Polish Humanitarian Action is a non-governmental organisation. In 2004, we were granted the status of a public benefit organisation. After 18 years of operation, the Polish Humanitarian Action counts over 60 office and mission field employees, and it cooperates with over 100 volunteers on a constant basis. The coordinating centre for our aid and education programmes is located in Warsaw. Regional offices in Toruń and Cracow execute projects that are carried out within programmes aimed at the whole country, including humanitarian and global education, supplying additional nutrition for children (“Pajacyk” – Wooden Puppet), assistance for repatriates and other social awareness campaigns.

On 20th December 1994, our organisation was registered by the District Court for the Capital City of Warsaw, 21st Economic Division of the National Court Register (true copy from the Foundation's Register No. 4443). KRS No: 0000136833; REGON No 010849302.