Amy Martin: Together, we can always find solutions
“That’s my motivation and what keeps us going: being optimistic that together we can always find solutions.”
For Amy Martin, the path to humanitarian work began with a desire to serve. Raised in a family of civil servants in Maryland, she was instilled with a sense of purpose from an early age. That drive took her first to the Peace Corps in Mali — an experience that would not only ignite her career but bring her full circle two decades later.
Now Head of Office for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Mali, Amy has spent nearly twenty years responding to some of the world’s most complex emergencies. Her first deployment with OCHA was to Darfur in 2005. Since then, she has served in Ethiopia, Myanmar’s Rakhine State during the Rohingya crisis, the Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, and Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.
“I’ve seen a lot of hardship in both natural disasters and conflict settings,” she says. “But what keeps me going is the resilience and optimism of the people we serve.” She recalls massive floods in Mali that displaced thousands — but even then, she says, people remained hopeful. “They want to get back to work, to school, to the health services they rely on for their families. That’s what motivates me.”
Amy sees OCHA’s role as one of connection — linking communities in need with the people and organizations ready to help. “The United Nations brings all the countries together, and OCHA brings all humanitarian partners together,” she explains. “We’re the convener, the enabler. We help make it possible for recovery to begin and for communities to build resilience for the future.”
She is quick to emphasize that humanitarian work isn’t about creating dependency — it’s about helping people get back on their feet. “Technically, we’re temporary,” she says. “We’re here to support for a short time until the community can find its own solutions and move forward.”
One of the moments that stays with her came during her time in the Central African Republic. When conflict erupted between communities, it was OCHA’s coordination — bringing together the UN, NGOs, and even a local bishop — that helped prevent attacks and keep people safe while security forces were mobilized. She remembers similar urgency in Darfur, where assessment teams were deployed the day after attacks, and assistance was already reaching people.
In today’s context, those kinds of rapid, collective responses are under threat. “Unfortunately, yes, there is an impact,” she says of the growing funding crisis in humanitarian aid. “Organizations are having to suspend activities, close their doors, leave communities. And the impact will be felt well beyond the short term.”
Every day, she says, she receives messages about humanitarian operations shutting down across Mali. The question now is not only how to respond, but how to prioritize. “We’re going to have to work together as a humanitarian community to decide what we can still do — and communicate that clearly to the communities we serve. That transparency is essential for building trust.”
What worries her most, though, goes beyond budgets. “Globally, I see a growing lack of tolerance,” she says. “The dehumanization that allows atrocities to happen — that’s what keeps me up at night. We need to find a way back to a more respectful, compassionate world. One where we remember that we’re all in this together.”
That belief in our shared humanity also shapes how Amy thinks about her home country’s role. “We live in a global society. The well-being of our neighbors is our own well-being. We can’t live in isolation.” For her, humanitarian assistance is not just charity — it’s a smart investment in peace, stability, and economic prosperity. “The dollars spent on humanitarian aid benefit people in the United States too. We’re helping create a world that’s better for all of us.”
After nearly two decades in the field, Amy Martin remains grounded in the values that brought her here: service, empathy, and a belief in collective action. “We’re all here together,” she says, “and together we can have a better world — for ourselves, for our families, for our communities.”
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) coordinates emergency responses to save lives and protect people in crises. OCHA brings together humanitarian organizations to ensure aid reaches those who need it most — quickly, efficiently, and based on need. By advocating for people in emergencies and mobilizing funding, OCHA helps deliver lifesaving assistance and uphold the dignity of those affected by conflict and disaster.
