READY is strengthening the capacity of NGOs to respond to major infectious disease outbreaks.

When major disease outbreaks occur, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are often on the frontlines, using their deep connections with affected communities and expertise to support outbreak readiness and response. READY, an initiative funded by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance and led by Save the Children and a consortium of partners, is supporting NGOs to more effectively respond to major disease outbreaks in humanitarian settings. Through investments in a robust and diverse capacity-strengthening portfolio, knowledge and best-practice sharing, and engagement with key coordination groups to identify and respond to real-time needs, READY is equipping national and international humanitarian NGOs with knowledge and skills to be ready to respond to major disease outbreaks through integrated and community-centered approaches.

Aim: NGOs have the tools, knowledge, and skills to support crisis-affected communities and local authorities to effectively respond to major epidemics and pandemics.In support of its aim, READY is developing, translating, and delivering:

  • Online courses and live trainings to share outbreak knowledge and operational readiness and response skills
  • Digital simulations to test and refine outbreak readiness and response knowledge
  • Tailored, organization-wide trainings and mentorship for operational readiness for outbreak response
  • Tools and guidelines to fill identified gaps and ensure NGOs are technically prepared to respond to major outbreaks
  • Strategies, trainings, and approaches to engage and center communities in
    outbreak response
  • Webinars, policy briefs, and other thought leadership on current and future global trends in outbreak readiness and response

Read READY’s latest external evaluation report

Thumbnail image of evaluation report cover; link to full report“[READY] weren’t saying: we know everything. They recognized that they wanted to bring all of the partners on board and learn from each other’s expertise. I thought that was done very well. It was a very open and collaborative space that they created. Very welcoming and it took off.”
(External stakeholder)

View/download the full evaluation report.

Consortium Partners

READY brings together operational, academic, clinical, and communications organizations to provide multiple perspectives and areas of expertise. READY’s consortium partners are:

Save the Children 

Johns Hopkins Center for Humanitarian Health

Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs

UK-Med

Humanitarian Leadership Academy