#Snapshots September 2023
From Libya to Ukraine, see the impact you’ve had as a supporter of our work this month.
Responding in Libya and Morocco
Our teams are on the ground providing medical relief to survivors of the Libya floods and Morocco earthquake, as well as to communities around the world affected by extreme weather and other disasters.
In Libya, where more than 40,000 flood survivors have been displaced from their homes, we have three emergency medical teams providing health services and supplies in the devastated city of Derna and surrounding areas, including wound dressing, maternal healthcare and general medical care. Our mental health team is supporting the government-led mental health national hotline, providing remote support to flood survivors.
Working with local partners in Morocco, we hosted a three-day distribution of supplies in the Falghous region for ten villages, providing people with ready-to-eat foods, hygiene items, blankets and mattresses. Learn more about our ongoing emergency services.
Providing Women and Girls in Ethiopia with a Safe Space
We are committed to supporting and empowering women and girls who face risks during and after a crisis. Gender-based violence (GBV) is a perpetual public health and human rights problem, affecting survivors’ physical and psychological health and the health and well-being of families and communities. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable to GBV in emergency settings.
Although Ethiopia and the Tigrayan forces agreed to a cessation of hostilities in November 2022, the effects of war still linger in the northern regions of Ethiopia. Large numbers of women and girls in the region have been subjected to sexual violence.
Women should never be punished just for being women. Our Women’s and Girls’ Safe Space (WGSS) in Chifra, Ethiopia works to raise awareness and combat gender-based violence in the community, and it provides support for women who’ve survived GBV. Through WGSS activities and case management services, survivors are given the confidence to make decisions for themselves again. This simple act begins the healing process, and our commitment to the community remains steadfast.
Training Emergency Employees in Ukraine
Training has always been a central pillar of our mission. Preparation and knowledge promote confidence and independence. We train thousands of people each year from local communities and from national, regional and local governments and non-governmental groups, including health professionals, helping them prepare for emergencies as the community makes the journey from relief to self-reliance.
Training gives communities the skills and knowledge to meet their own needs. In addition to other training sessions for medical professionals held throughout the country, our Ukraine team is providing training in emergency first aid to employees of emergency and rescue services such as policemen and pharmacists. After completing the course, students should be able to determine signs of internal bleeding, put bandages on the limbs and more.
Responding to the Effects of Climate Change
With extreme weather events at record levels globally, adaptation has become a critical part of climate change strategy — especially in countries where resources to reduce the effects of climate change can be scarce.
Our frontline staff members see how climate change is making disasters more frequent and intense. Look no further than earlier this year — scientists have confirmed that July was the hottest month in history — or the failed rainy seasons driving hunger in the Horn of Africa.
With the help of people like you, our teams are working in close to 30 countries around the world, dealing every day with conflict, disaster and disease — all made worse by the effects of climate change. We’ll continue to prepare for, adapt to and address these threats, just as we’ll continue to provide care and training to people in need around the world.
Helping Flood Survivors Access Clean Water in Pakistan
In this age of advancements like computers and artificial intelligence, it’s sobering to think that millions of families worldwide struggle daily for access to clean water and safe, basic sanitation facilities. The effects of poor sanitation on vulnerable communities can be invisible, yet profound.
Inadequate sanitation isn’t just about discomfort — it’s a dire public health crisis. Contaminated water sources and unsanitary conditions give rise to a multitude of diseases, affecting the very core of communities. We are addressing water, sanitation and hygiene needs in Pakistan and around the world.
Educating Ukrainian Mothers About Nutrition
International Medical Corps is committed to alleviating malnutrition through quality nutrition programming during crisis and recovery when communities are most vulnerable. We’re addressing nutrition needs in 20 countries and territories, including Ukraine.
Our nutrition team in Ukraine recently held an activity in Kyiv for mothers of young children where our staff shared nutrition practices for mothers and caregivers of children under two years old. This is critical information because the first thousand days of a child’s life are the most crucial for the development of their body, brain, metabolism and immune system. So, how a child eats in the first two years of life has a significant impact on future life and health.
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International Medical Corps is a global first responder that delivers emergency medical and related services to those affected by conflict, disaster and disease, no matter where they are, no matter the conditions. We also train people in their communities, providing them with the skills they need to recover, chart their own path to self-reliance and become effective first responders themselves. Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, we are a nonprofit with no religious or political affiliation, and now have more than 8,000 staff members around the world, 96% of whom are locally hired. Since our founding, we have operated in more than 80 countries, and have provided more than $4.2 billion in emergency relief and training to communities worldwide.
Our staff includes experts in emergency medicine, infectious disease, nutrition, mental health, maternal and infant health, gender-based violence prevention and treatment, training, and water, sanitation and hygiene, all within the humanitarian context.
To arrange an interview on or off the record, contact our Media Relations team at media@internationalmedicalcorps.org.
