Brazilians will now be able to support families affected by disasters in real time through a new humanitarian funding model launched by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Instituto Vakinha, Brazil's largest crowdfunding platform.
The partnership establishes an innovative mechanism that allows emergency fundraising campaigns to be launched within hours of a disaster, directing public donations toward humanitarian assistance for displaced and affected communities across Brazil.
For the first time globally, a crowdfunding platform is being formally integrated into an IOM disaster preparedness and response system, creating a new way to mobilize civil society support quickly, transparently and at scale during emergencies.
"This partnership represents an important shift in how humanitarian response can be funded in Brazil," said Paolo Caputo, IOM Chief of Mission in Brazil. "By connecting the solidarity of ordinary citizens with IOM's operational response capacity, assistance can reach affected communities more quickly and transparently during emergencies."
Under the agreement, Instituto Vakinha will serve as a strategic fundraising partner for IOM during emergency situations. When disasters occur, crowdfunding campaigns may be activated immediately, allowing donations to directly support humanitarian operations implemented by IOM in Brazil. The model is also designed to be scalable and could be replicated in other countries facing similar challenges.
"For Instituto Vakinha, it is both an honor and a strategic opportunity to work in partnership with IOM," said Renata Fehlauer, Executive Director of Instituto Vakinha. "IOM brings technical expertise and coordination capacity with humanitarian actors, while our expertise lies in engaging civil society and digital fundraising. Together, these strengths help humanitarian assistance reach people faster when disasters strike."
Brazil has faced a growing number of climate-related disasters in recent years, highlighting the need for faster and more flexible humanitarian funding mechanisms. In 2024, devastating floods in Rio Grande do Sul affected more than 2 million people. In 2025, new floods again impacted the state, while a tornado caused widespread destruction in Rio Bonito do Iguaçu, Paraná. Most recently, intense rains in Minas Gerais in early 2026 displaced more than 3,500 people.
The partnership between IOM and Instituto Vakinha builds on earlier collaboration through the Tchê Prepara project in Rio Grande do Sul in 2025, which focused on emergency preparedness and response. That experience helped shape the crowdfunding model now formalized between the two organizations.
The model was further tested during the heavy rains that affected municipalities in Minas Gerais in February 2026. Within hours of launching the campaign, donations from across Brazil were mobilized to support humanitarian assistance for displaced families, demonstrating the platform's ability to channel public solidarity rapidly during emergencies.
The partnership was further strengthened during a visit to Brazil by an IOM delegation in March 2026. Meetings with industrial federations, companies and philanthropic organizations in São Paulo, Porto Alegre and Brasília highlighted growing interest in innovative partnerships to support humanitarian response and migration initiatives in Brazil.
Since 2018, IOM Brazil has facilitated more than 600,000 migration regularization processes and supported more than 155,000 voluntary relocations under Operation Welcome (Operação Acolhida). In 2025 alone, more than 5,100 migrants were integrated into the formal labour market through partnerships with the private sector. IOM currently operates with teams across 13 states and the Federal District.
About Instituto Vakinha
Instituto Vakinha is Brazil's largest crowdfunding platform, with more than 20 million registered users and over BRL 1 billion raised since its creation. The platform connects people to social, personal, and humanitarian causes across the country.
