Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH)

What Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH) does

Polish Humanitarian Action (Polska Akcja Humanitarna, PAH) is a Poland-based non-governmental humanitarian organization founded in 1992 by Janina Ochojska. It provides emergency response, water access, food security, shelter, healthcare, education, legal and psychosocial support, camp management, and disaster risk reduction services to crisis-affected populations across 29+ countries including Yemen, Kenya, Lebanon, Madagascar, Palestine, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, and Poland. Over its 30+ year history, PAH reports having assisted 18.6 million people, with a domestic Pajacyk program addressing food insecurity among children in Poland and active field missions in conflict and climate-affected regions across Africa and the Middle East.

PAH operates a multi-platform digital ecosystem centered on pah.org.pl as the primary engagement and donation hub, supplemented by the Pomagamy peer-to-peer fundraising platform (built on Aid Builder Social Fundraising), the Pajacyk domestic food assistance platform, the DOM educational platform on humanitarian crises, and the 'Tolerancja to za mało' podcast series distributed across Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Deezer. The technology stack includes Microsoft Dynamics (Navision and CRM) for donor management and accounting, PayU for online donation processing, and standard web analytics tools (Google Analytics, Microsoft Clarity). The organization employs 311 staff and maintains a Warsaw headquarters at al. Solidarności 78A.

PAH's business model is a multi-stream charitable funding structure combining individual donations (one-time and recurring via BLIK, PayU, and bank transfer), the Klub PAH monthly donor membership program, corporate CSR partnerships (PKN Orlen Foundation, Biedronka, Microsoft, DHL, Electrolux, Jerónimo Martins), institutional funding from the European Commission and EEA/Norway Grants, and the Polish 1% income tax donation mechanism enabled by its Public Benefit Organization (OPP) status. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the organization is governed by principles of neutrality, apoliticism, transparency, and professionalism, holds CHS Alliance validation (2024) and EU Humanitarian Partnership Certification (2021), and operates in compliance with GDPR.

Name

Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH)

Legal name

Polska Akcja Humanitarna

Website

https://pah.org.pl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH) is a Poland-based humanitarian NGO founded in 1992 that delivers emergency relief, food, water, healthcare, and education across 29+ countries, serving 18.6 million beneficiaries through institutional, corporate, and individual donor funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Aid / Disaster Relief Services

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)

Keywords

• Humanitarian aid services
• Emergency food assistance
• Water access programs
• Disaster risk reduction
• Humanitarian education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Warsaw

HQ country

Poland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals via website, bank transfer, BLIK, and payment platforms. One-time and recurring donation options available.
2. Klub PAH Monthly Giving: Regular monthly or annual donations from members of the PAH Club, providing predictable funding for long-term program planning.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Support from businesses including PKN Orlen Foundation, Biedronka, Electrolux, DHL, Microsoft, and others through CSR programs and donations.
4. Institutional Funding: Funding from institutional donors including EU humanitarian programs, Norwegian funds (EEA and Norway Grants), and government development cooperation programs.
5. 1% Tax Donation (Polish): Polish taxpayers can donate 1% of their income tax to PAH as a public benefit organization.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH) is an independent humanitarian NGO that delivers emergency relief and longer-term assistance—food security, water access, shelter, healthcare, education, legal and psychosocial protection, camp management, and disaster risk reduction—to crisis-affected populations in 29+ countries across Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, while also running the Pajacyk child nutrition and psychosocial support program inside Poland. Its revenue engine is a diversified donor funnel combining individual giving (one-time donations, Klub PAH recurring giving, charity running, 1% tax), corporate CSR partnerships, and institutional grants from EU and EEA/Norway programs, with digital engagement supported by the Pomagamy fundraising platform, the DOM educational platform, and the "Tolerancja to za mało" podcast.

Product overview

Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH) operates a multi-platform digital ecosystem focused on humanitarian aid and education. The core offering centers on pah.org.pl as the main engagement platform, supplemented by specialized programs including the Pajacyk domestic food assistance, the Pomagamy crowdfunding platform for individual fundraisers, the DOM educational platform about humanitarian crises, and the 'Tolerancja to za mało' podcast series. Additional engagement mechanisms include the Klub PAH donor membership, Siepomaga third-party campaigns, and the #BiegamDobrze charity running initiative. The organization also publishes educational materials like the 'Nowe narracje o świecie' book. All platforms are connected through an online donation system processing payments via PayU.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Program Pajacyk: Polish food assistance and child support program
• DOM Platform
• Podcast Tolerancja to za mało

Products and services

• Pajacyk Program Polish domestic food assistance and psychosocial support program that provides meals to children in Poland, addressing food insecurity and supporting child welfare nationwide.
• Pomagamy Fundraising Platform Online peer-to-peer fundraising platform enabling supporters to create, share, and manage personal donation campaigns for PAH causes, including goal setting, photos, and story sharing. Built on Aid Builder Social Fundraising technology.
• DOM Educational Platform Educational website featuring stories of people affected by humanitarian crises and supplementary knowledge materials, organized into chapters covering displacement, housing, hate speech, climate crisis, and good aid practices.
• Tolerancja to za mało (Tolerance is Not Enough) Podcast Educational podcast series produced by PAH's education team exploring global solidarity, decolonization, racism, climate crisis, and responsible aid; distributed on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Deezer, Spreaker, and other podcast platforms.
• Klub PAH (PAH Club) Donor Membership Recurring donor membership program offering regular monthly or annual giving options with newsletters, event invitations, and tax-deductible donation receipts for members.
• Siepomaga Campaigns Third-party hosted fundraising campaigns on the Siepomaga platform supporting specific PAH initiatives including Ukraine aid, food security, and domestic child assistance.
• #BiegamDobrze (I Run Good) Charity Running Charity running initiative partnered with the Warsaw Marathon and Half Marathon that lets participants raise funds for PAH activities while competing.
• Online Donation System Online donation processing system accepting one-time and recurring payments via BLIK, credit/debit cards, and traditional bank transfer, integrated with the PayU payment processor for PAH, Pajacyk, and Pomagamy platforms.
• Emergency Humanitarian Response Core humanitarian aid service delivered to populations affected by armed conflicts, natural disasters, and other crises across 29+ countries including Yemen, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Ukraine, Somalia, South Sudan, Kenya, and Madagascar.
• Water Access Programs Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs that build and restore access to safe water and sanitation for crisis-affected populations.
• Food Security Programs Food security and nutrition programs including food assistance, cash and voucher transfers, and nutritional support to populations facing hunger in crisis regions.
• Shelter and Non-Food Items Provision of shelter, non-food items (NFIs), and household kits to displaced and crisis-affected families.
• Education Access Programs Programs that support continued access to education for children and adults affected by crises, including safe learning spaces and learning materials.
• Legal Protection and Psychosocial Support Combined legal aid and psychosocial support services for crisis-affected populations, addressing protection risks and mental health needs.
• Healthcare Access Programs Primary healthcare and medical services delivered to populations with limited or no access to functioning health systems.
• Camp Management Services Coordination and management of displacement camps, ensuring service delivery and protection of displaced populations.
• Disaster Risk Reduction Disaster risk reduction programs that build community preparedness and resilience against natural disasters, climate change, and recurring hazards.
• Cash and Voucher Assistance Direct financial support to crisis-affected households through cash transfers and vouchers, supporting dignity and local economic recovery.
• Development Cooperation Long-term development cooperation projects that complement emergency response, supporting self-sufficiency and structural improvements in partner communities.
• Self-Reliance Programs Programs that help crisis-affected households and communities build livelihoods and self-sufficiency over the longer term.
• PAH Website (pah.org.pl) Primary digital platform serving as the central hub for information about humanitarian activities, donation processing, newsletter subscriptions, and access to all PAH programs.
• Nowe narracje o świecie (New Narratives About the World) Publication Free publication containing critical thinking articles about global perspectives, colonialism, social inequalities, travel ethics, and migration, produced from multiple years of PAH education team work.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18.6 million people helped over 30+ years
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration19 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered moderate, core and minor.

• PKN Orlen FoundationmoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partnership through Orlen Foundation supporting PAH's humanitarian operations and programs
• BiedronkamoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerRetail partnership with Jerónimo Martins-owned chain supporting charitable initiatives
• MicrosoftmoderateTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partnership providing software and cloud services for PAH operations
• PayUcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processor enabling online donations on pah.org.pl, pajacyk.pl, and pomagamy.pl platforms
• DHLminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLogistics partnership supporting humanitarian aid delivery
• ElectroluxminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partnership through Electrolux's CSR initiatives
• European Commission / EU Humanitarian AidcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional funding through EU humanitarian programs and humanitarian partnership certification

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Internationalis: Caritas is a global confederation of Catholic humanitarian and development agencies with emergency response, refugee support, and shelter programs overlapping PAH's portfolio, but with a much broader institutional footprint.
• UNICEF: UNICEF is a UN agency delivering humanitarian aid, child nutrition, education, and WASH in the same geographies as PAH, often acting as both a partner and a competing institutional actor for the same donor funds.
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): ICRC is a much larger globally established humanitarian organization with overlapping conflict-zone operations in many of the same countries PAH serves, but operating at significantly greater scale and scope.

Direct peers

• CARE International: CARE International is a major humanitarian NGO operating emergency response, food security, water, and shelter programs across conflict and disaster zones, directly comparable to PAH's service portfolio.
• Concern Worldwide: Concern Worldwide is an Ireland-rooted humanitarian NGO delivering emergency response, livelihoods, food security, and WASH programs in fragile states, with a comparable mid-sized operating model to PAH.
• GOAL (Irish NGO): GOAL is an international humanitarian NGO focused on emergency response, food security, and resilience in conflict and disaster zones, structurally similar to PAH in scale and program mix.
• Save the Children: Save the Children operates emergency response, child nutrition, education, and psychosocial support programs in many of the same countries PAH serves, with a similar NGO funding model.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): MSF delivers frontline emergency medical and humanitarian aid in many of the same conflict and fragile-state geographies PAH serves, with comparable operating model and donor-funded structure.
• Oxfam International: Oxfam runs multi-country humanitarian and development programs covering water, food, shelter, and WASH, directly overlapping with PAH's core clusters.

Regional players

• Polish Red Cross: The Polish Red Cross is a domestically rooted Polish humanitarian organization operating in emergency response, refugee support, and social assistance, serving the same Polish donor and beneficiary market as PAH.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PAH_org
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLP4qlc9EdTnm6NY-qKsT6ZhfcTmOBgqPn
• Facebookfacebook.com/PolishHumanitarianAction
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/polish-humanitarian-action
• Instagraminstagram.com/polskaakcjahumanitarna

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH)