For over 20 years, DHL’s GoHelp initiative has acted as a humanitarian logistics force, helping with disaster relief, preparing ahead of emergencies, and building capacity where it matters most. The story begins before the formal launch of GoHelp in 2005, when volunteers helped in early tragedies like the 2003 Iran earthquake and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
The formal program was set in motion after the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, where DHL sent teams to help streamline aid arriving by air.
Realising that reacting after a disaster isn’t enough, DHL added a preparedness dimension in 2009 called GARD (“Get Airports Ready for Disaster”). GARD’s mission is to help airports in disaster-prone locations get ready so they can handle sudden surges of aid more effectively. When the 2010 Haiti earthquake struck, airports prepared through GARD made a measurable difference.
As disasters become more frequent and complex, DHL has continued to adapt. In 2025, they introduced a new pillar: the DHL Academy of Humanitarian Logistics (DAHL). This program gives free, expert-led training to NGOs and local responders—people who are often first on the ground, in planning, logistics, and delivery of aid. Even while still a pilot, DAHL has already worked with dozens of NGOs and trained hundreds of people, including in active crisis zones like Ukraine and South Sudan.
Through partnerships with UN bodies and humanitarian organisations, GoHelp now operates with three pillars: disaster response, airport readiness (GARD), and capacity building (DAHL). Over two decades this has meant dozens of deployments, tens of thousands of tons of relief delivered, and hundreds of people trained—all aimed at making aid faster, more efficient, and more impactful.
