Are you a humanitarian aid worker wondering what to pack for your international field assignment? Starting a humanitarian journey can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re unsure if you have all the essentials you need. To help ease your worries, I’ve created a comprehensive humanitarian aid worker packing list designed to ensure you’re fully prepared. Whether you’re heading to a disaster-affected region, conflict zone, or remote community, this guide will help you pack the right items for your humanitarian mission. Let’s explore what to pack for a successful and efficient field assignment.

Essential Documents & Money for Humanitarian Aid Workers

Passport & Travel Documents
Visa & Immigration Details
Insurance Documents
Health Records (COVID-19/Yellow Fever vaccination records, etc.)
Accommodation & Host Contact Information
Local Currency & Payment Methods (Visa/Mastercard)
ID copies (birth certificates, drivers license, passport, work contracts)

Toiletries & Personal Care Items for Field Assignments

Soap and Soap Travel Case
Shampoo/Conditioner
Razor
Deodorant that won’t melt in hot climates (roll-on for example)
Moisturizer (with sunscreen)
Toothbrush/Toothpaste/Floss
Lip balm (with SPF)
Hairbrush
Makeup
Face-wash
Toiletries bag
Hand sanitizer
Diva cup/pads/tampons/panty liners
Wet wipes
Tweezers, nail clippers, mini scissors, nail file

Clothing & Footwear for Humanitarian Work

Underwear
Socks (quick dry or merino wool to prevent blisters)
Hat with good sun protection
Vest
Pants (Jeans, cargo, convertible, quick dry, dress pants)
Long skirts
Blazer
T-shirts
Long sleeve shirts
Dress shirts/Blouses
Shorts – cultural norms may prevent wearing shorts in public, adapt accordingly. Depending on the context, I still pack shorts and wear them at home while working out alone
Long dresses
Going out clothes
Sweaters (with and without zipper)
Scarf (light weight for hot climates)
Pajamas
Belt
Flip flops/crocs/waterproof sandals – great to have for when you are sharing shower spaces
Closed toed sandals (Keens) – great to have for field visits with sandy/rocky terrain
Loafers/Office shoes
Hiking boots/Blundstones (broken in)
Rain boots if muddy/wet climate (and you can manage the space they take up!)
Raincoat
Travel Umbrella (not always necessary, but nice to have)
Towel (I pack a quick dry travel towel)
Sunglasses (Polarized)
Swim suit (one piece) with swim shorts depending on the context
Exercise gear (shorts, t-shirt, sports bra)
Small day bag for field visits (with a laptop compartment, small front pocket, and water bottle pocket ideally)
Fanny pack/purse/money belt

Technology & Electronics for Humanitarian Assignments

Unlocked Smart Phone (if you are in a hardship location, consider taking an older phone wiped of photos you care about)
Phone charger
Laptop (again, if you’re in a hardship location, consider taking an older laptop in case of theft or evacuation)
Laptop charger
Personal Wifi device (if necessary for remote connectivity)
Flashdrive
Multi-socket extension cord
Camera and SD cards
Camera charger
Travel adaptor
E-reader
Flashlight (headlamp)
Headphones
Portable charger
Small bluetooth speaker
Solar panel charger – extremely helpful in countries with unstable electricity, during active conflict, or in the field on mission

Wellbeing & Health Essentials for Humanitarian Field Work

Pain killers (Advil, Tylenol, Aleve)
Antibiotics for malaria
Ear drops
Eye drops
Yeast infection and UTI medication
Allergy medications (antihistamines)
Epi pen
Anti-diarrheal tablets (pepto, immodium)
Sleeping pills
Condoms/birth control/Plan B (emergency contraception)
Oral rehydration salts
Waterbottle
Laundry detergent sheets
Water purification tablets or LifeStraw
Anti-malarial medication (depending if the side effects/duration of your stay makes sense to)
First aid kit with quick wound closure kit, antiseptic
Smoke detector with CO2 detection – great to have for hardship locations and the field
Duct tape
Lightweight wash cloth
Small mirror
Sunscreen
DEET Mosquito repellant
Mosquito net impregnated with insecticide – for missions, a pop up tent is a great option to put on top of your mattress
Insect bite treatment (AfterBite)
Multivitamins
Personal medicines
Earplugs
Eye-mask
Contact lens solution
Hair elastics and bobby pins
Fairy lights for your bedroom
Travel yoga mat
Skipping rope
Crystal light/water flavouring
Easy to carry card games (Uno, Dutch Blitz, Cards Against Humanity, etc)

Useful Extras & Comfort Items

Luggage tags
Spare diva cup
Spare glasses/contact lenses/contact lens solution
Cheese, chocolate, coffee, wine for you and your colleagues/hosts
Emergency credit card
Mini coffee press
Entertainment (Download movies, books, games, and music)
Ziploc bags
Padlock
Favourite food items (condiments, candy, etc)
Rope (to make a clothes line if needed)
Swiss Army knife (check local restrictions)
Sewing kit
Sharpie
Door stopper (to place on inside of your bedroom door to prevent entry overnight)
Safety pins
Extra batteries
Dry sack bag
Language learning books and resources
Pillow from home
Sink stopper for washing clothes in a basin
Carabiners
AirTags to put in luggage
Fire starter kit
Weekly planner/notebooks/pens

Tips Before You Go:

Backup your laptop and phone onto a hard drive before you leave home
Write down the local embassy, police, and other emergency service contact numbers
Unlock your cellphone
If you will be working in a lower income country, consider taking hard-sided checked luggage that does not bring attention (to prevent theft when your bag reaches your destination). For carry-on backpacks/Go Bags, consider taking something durable like an Osprey, North Face, or GoRuck.
Save a copy of your passport, passport photos, professional certifications, insurance documents, and flights to your Google Drive
Request all medicines you will require from your family doctor to last the duration of your assignment (birth control, nasal sprays, inhalers, creams, etc)
Send your contact details/flights/new home address to a family member or friends email so they know your whereabouts
Speak to colleagues and connect with others who are living in the region you will be working in and find out what they recommend to bring. Some locations may not have stores that sell certain products so you may need to pack extra
Join Facebook community groups for expats in your host country to connect and make new friends before you arrive
If you are going into an active conflict zone, watch a few first aid videos before you leave home and/or get the proper first aid certifications. Also consider looking up: how to make your own tourniquet in an emergency, how to sterilize water, what to put in a “Go Bag”, how to deal with a poisonous snake/spider/scorpion bite, how to do CPR, how to suture skin, how to stay safe in active shelling/bombing (where to shelter, covering windows, etc).
If you will be flying with UNHAS, check your baggage limits and pack within them. Edit this packing list to make it reasonable for yourself.
If you are going to be working in a hardship or active conflict zone, consider the fact you may lose your belongings in an evacuation. Keep your family heirlooms, expensive technology, gold jewelry, and favourite suits at home.

That’s it! I hope you found this humanitarian aid worker packing list helpful. If you have any suggestions to add to this list, please comment below. Otherwise, I wish you the best on your international assignment!

Headed into a hardship location? Check out my Packing List for Conflict Zones.

Looking for more insights and resources to kickstart or further your humanitarian career? Explore more on The Global Humanitarian Blog for expert advice and actionable tips.

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Please note: the views and opinions expressed on this blog are that of my own and do not represent the opinions of any agency mentioned.