First Quarter Summary 2026

January - March 2026

During the first quarter of 2026, CREST continued focusing on humanitarian preparedness, community resilience, and support for vulnerable populations both locally and regionally. Through partnerships, field assessments, and disaster risk reduction initiatives, CREST remained committed to strengthening long-term recovery and sustainable community support systems.

1. Nutritional Assessment in Remote Communities

In January, CREST conducted humanitarian assessments in remote villages within Southeast Asia where malnutrition and developmental inequalities continue to affect vulnerable communities. While urban development has progressed rapidly across many regions, isolated rural villages often remain underserved and face ongoing challenges in healthcare and nutrition.

CREST teams deployed to remote and hilly areas where logistical access remained difficult. Rapid assessment methods were utilised to evaluate community nutritional conditions and identify vulnerable groups requiring further intervention.

In one assessed village, severe stunting rates were found to be significantly high, particularly among female children. Based on these findings, supplementary feeding interventions and longer-term nutritional support were recommended as part of ongoing community health and resilience efforts.

2. Flood Preparedness and Food Security in Kelantan

As part of its continuing disaster risk reduction efforts, CREST pre-stocked food supplies in flood-prone areas of Kelantan ahead of the monsoon season. Pre-positioning essential supplies remained a critical strategy in strengthening food security and ensuring rapid humanitarian response during flood emergencies.

Floods frequently disrupt transportation routes and damage infrastructure, limiting access to affected communities. By pre-stocking food supplies within vulnerable areas, communities were able to maintain immediate access to essential items even when external supply chains were interrupted.

These preparedness measures particularly benefited vulnerable populations including children, elderly individuals, and low-income households. Pre-positioned supplies also 2 reduced dependence on delayed emergency assistance and enabled communities to focus on evacuation, safety, and recovery efforts during flood events.

CREST continued promoting preparedness and resilience through practical and community-based disaster management approaches in collaboration with local partners.

3. Partnership Engagement with Malaysian Care

In February, CREST was invited by Malaysian Care to share at its headquarters as part of ongoing collaboration between both organisations. Over the years, CREST and Malaysian Care have maintained a partnership grounded in shared humanitarian values and community-focused social work.

The session provided opportunities for mutual learning, sharing operational experiences, and discussing sustainable community-based solutions to social challenges. Both organisations reaffirmed the importance of collaboration, resource sharing, and long-term partnerships in addressing the complex needs faced by vulnerable communities.

4. Partnership Engagement with Malaysian Care

CREST continued supporting communities affected by the 2025 Mandalay earthquake through collaborative humanitarian efforts together with churches and the Archdiocesan Office of Human Development (AOHD).

Recognising that vulnerable and marginalised communities are often disproportionately affected by disasters, CREST assisted in ongoing recovery support initiatives for affected families in Myanmar. Financial assistance 3 was distributed to families facing significant hardship due to the loss of homes, livelihoods, and income following the earthquake.

Due to local sensitivities and security considerations, specific names and locations were withheld. CREST expressed its deep appreciation to the Malaysian churches and partners whose contributions enabled continued assistance and solidarity with affected communities in Myanmar.

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