About the NGO

WHY THIS WORK IS NECESSARY TODAY

We are living through a period of overlapping crises — social, environmental, political, and humanitarian — that directly affect people’s lives and the ecosystems we depend on. Environmental degradation, structural violence, inequality, and increasingly precarious living conditions create a context of intense emotional and social pressure worldwide. In this scenario, a significant portion of the population experiences feelings of powerlessness, information overload, and loss of meaning. At the same time, there are individuals and collectives who continue to act consistently in response to these crises: activists, human rights defenders, humanitarian workers, caregivers, and change-makers who sustain concrete actions in highly demanding contexts. Their role is essential for the possibility of generating real transformations and preserving social and environmental balance. Yet, the emotional impact of this work often remains invisible.

El·mundo·duele / The·world·hurts

Del lat. mundus·nocet

1. (n.) A new human emotion, born in the 21st century, arising from the visibility granted by the era of globalization. It manifests in those who dream of a more just, kind, and compassionate world.

2. (n.) A feeling of distress experienced by a person in response to situations that degrade all forms of life, regardless of whether they personally endure them.

3. (n.) An expression of consciousness through empathy and solidarity, felt in the face of the suffering of fellow humans.

WHY CARE IS URGENT

The emotional impact of working in crisis contexts is well documented. Studies in the humanitarian and human rights fields show that:

More than 50% of activists and humanitarian workers experience symptoms of burnout.
Between 30% and 40% experience post-traumatic stress or vicarious trauma.
Levels of anxiety, depression, and emotional exhaustion are significantly higher among people who are chronically exposed to others’ suffering.

These effects impact not only individuals, but also organizations, teams, and causes: internal conflicts increase, staff turnover rises, people leave their work, and long-term continuity is lost.
Caring for the psychosocial health of those who sustain these efforts is not an individual benefit — it is a structural condition for the sustainability of social and environmental impact.

founders and Coordinator team

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Polina Rud

Chief Executive Officer

International politics specialist and researcher with doctoral studies in Art History (MSU), focusing on a dissertation on artistic resistance against Latin American dictatorships. She holds a Master’s degree in International Relations (MSU) and a postgraduate degree in Psychosocial Assistance (UNAM). She is the author of the book on psychology and archetypes The Cosmic Game of Snakes and Arrows (Inner Traditions, 2025).

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Shaína Muñoz

Chief Technology Officer

Computer Science Engineer and Full-Stack Engineer with experience in the development and operation of high-complexity systems, microservices architecture, CI/CD pipeline automation, and data handling in Big Data and cloud environments, including data modeling, application security, and the design of scalable technological infrastructures. She also collaborates in mentoring initiatives and technology communities.

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Jonatan Schutz

Chief Strategy & Content Officer

Social scientist, cultural manager, and researcher with ongoing doctoral studies in Sustainability (UNICEPES) and Communication (UNLP). He holds a Master’s degree in Government and Strategy (ULA), along with postgraduate training in Human Development, Clinical Neuropsychology, among other fields. He is currently preparing the publication of his first three books and serves as a Peace Ambassador for UPF.

WHO WE ARE

The World Hurts is a non-governmental organization dedicated to providing psychosocial and therapeutic support to defenders of life. Founded in 2024 and based in Mexico City, we work internationally, with an initial focus on Latin America. We support frontline workers, human rights defenders, social leaders, and humanitarian workers, generating an indirect impact on the communities and causes they sustain. Our work includes:

The design and management of psychosocial support programs.
The selection and training of specialized therapists.
Collaboration with organizations and institutions.
The transparent management of resources to ensure free access to care for those who need it most.

WHAT DRIVES US

We see how emotional exhaustion is pushing committed people out of social, environmental, and humanitarian work — not because they lack conviction, but because sustaining these causes without support becomes unsustainable. Burnout and vicarious trauma lead to withdrawal, illness, and the abandonment of essential work, weakening teams and collective processes. Social change does not happen individually, but in community and over time. Research led by political scientist Erica Chenoweth shows that an active minority — around 3.5% — can drive profound social change, as long as it is able to sustain its engagement. When that core becomes exhausted, the possibility of change diminishes. For this reason, caring for those who sustain life is not optional: it is a condition for change to be possible.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has"

Margaret Mead

HOW WE ARE FUNDED

We know that many organizations cease to operate because they rely exclusively on unstable donations. To avoid this fragility and to sustain our work in a resilient and long-term way, we have developed a mixed funding model.
In addition to philanthropic support, we are funded through:

Fee-based services for organizations, which access programs focused on psychosocial care, burnout prevention, conflict resolution, and impact reporting. These collaborations allow our free support for defenders of life to remain independent from fluctuating donations.
Courses and workshops open to the general public, including programs on eco-anxiety, sustaining oneself in times of crisis, and spaces for parents, children, and young people. These offerings are affordably priced, expanding access to care while contributing to the organization’s sustainability.

This model allows us to provide care without interruption, grow without compromising our ethics, and keep free psychosocial support at the core of our mission.