We save and sustain lives in times of crisis
Medair is a Christian humanitarian organisation that responds to conflict, disease and disasters so that the world’s most vulnerable and hard-to-reach people can live with dignity and hope.
Happening now
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Emergency
Emergency in Ukraine
Families in Ukraine are fleeing bombings and violence. The places they called home are being destroyed. We are there to help.
Emergency
EMERGENCY FORGOTTEN CRISES
In eastern DR Congo, Yemen and the Chad-Darfur region, our country programmes are at the limits of their capacity. We are fighting to maintain these programmes.
Campaign
EMERGENCY FORGOTTEN CRISES
Our commitment, our independence to act and our ability to respond to urgent humanitarian crises remain unchanged.
Campaign
Giving hope to those who suffer in silence.
Partner with Medair today and launch thousands more
acts of love, hope, and joy in the world’s most
difficult-to-reach and devastated places.
What we do
Life can change in an instant.
When it does, we are there.
When disasters and conflicts tear communities apart, Medair responds quickly because people’s lives are on the line. We work in highly unstable environments, going where the needs are greatest, providing life-saving support in some of the world’s hardest-to-reach places.
We save lives
In times of disaster, disease and conflict, we are ready within hours to deliver life-sustaining humanitarian aid.
We restore hope
We help people in crisis have hope for the future by providing them the support they need to rebuild their lives.
We partner generously
We work closely with other organisations and the communities we serve – acting out of a spirit of respect, compassion and dignity.
"When Medair called us and said they could help, we were overjoyed and grateful. It was like a glimmer of hope"
Yulia
Yulia, who was displaced as a result of the conflict in Ukraine
Where we work
When the road ends, we keep going
Europe & Central asia
Yemen
While similar crises fight for the world’s attention, millions of children and mothers in Yemen are fighting for their lives in the shadows. Medair is responding with life-saving nutrition services.
Europe & Central asia
Ukraine
When conflict erupted in 2022 and sent millions of families fleeing for their lives, Medair was there within days to welcome them with open arms and meaningful support.
Europe & Central asia
Syria
More than 12 years of conflict and a deadly earthquake in 2023 have had devastating effects on communities in Syria. But we are determined to help rebuild by restoring health services, safe water sources, and shelters for those in desperate
Africa
Sudan
Violent clashes erupted once again in April 2023 around the capital, Khartoum. A staggering 4 million people fled their homes in just the first 100 days. Now, Sudan is once again in a full-blown humanitarian crisis and needs support to surv
Africa
South Sudan
When the road stops, we keep going. Our teams travel by boat, canoe and plane to the most isolated and hardest-to-reach communities in South Sudan, cut off from vital services like health care, nutrition, and water.
Africa
Somalia
Medair has been responding to crises in Somalia since 2008, helping some of the most isolated communities access health care and safe water and protecting women and children from violence.
Europe & Central asia
Lebanon
Since the beginning of the Syrian Crisis, Medair has been a lifeline to Syrian refugees in Lebanon as they struggle to rebuild their lives after surviving a civil war. We care for families by helping them meet their most urgent needs for fo
Europe & Central asia
Afghanistan
Medair has been responding to the effects of crisis in Afghanistan since 1996. While the country remains in crisis today, we do not lose hope for a peaceful and flourishing future for the people of Afghanistan.
Africa
DR Congo
After decades of instability, DR Congo is still in the throes of crisis. Yet, Medair has stayed the course for more than 25 years to help save lives and strengthen communities.
Africa
Madagascar
Since 2002, Medair has helped communities in Madagascar strengthen their resilience to climate disasters while helping to improve and restore access to safe drinking water.
Africa
Kenya
The Horn of Africa is experiencing its worst drought in more than 40 years. Medair’s nutrition outreach teams are travelling to northern Kenya’s most remote villages to save lives from malnutrition and disease.
Europe & Central asia
Jordan
Since the beginning of the Syrian Crisis, Medair has been a lifeline to Syrian refugees in Jordan as they struggle to rebuild their lives from the ground up.
Africa
DR Congo
After decades of instability, DR Congo is still in the throes of crisis. Yet, Medair has stayed the course for more than 25 years to help save lives and strengthen communities.
Kenya
The Horn of Africa is experiencing its worst drought in more than 40 years. Medair’s nutrition outreach teams are travelling to northern Kenya’s most remote villages to save lives from malnutrition and disease.
Madagascar
Since 2002, Medair has helped communities in Madagascar strengthen their resilience to climate disasters while helping to improve and restore access to safe drinking water.
Somalia
Medair has been responding to crises in Somalia since 2008, helping some of the most isolated communities access health care and safe water and protecting women and children from violence.
South Sudan
When the road stops, we keep going. Our teams travel by boat, canoe and plane to the most isolated and hardest-to-reach communities in South Sudan, cut off from vital services like health care, nutrition, and water.
Sudan
Violent clashes erupted once again in April 2023 around the capital, Khartoum. A staggering 4 million people fled their homes in just the first 100 days. Now, Sudan is once again in a full-blown humanitarian crisis and needs support to surv
Asia
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Europe & Central asia
Afghanistan
Medair has been responding to the effects of crisis in Afghanistan since 1996. While the country remains in crisis today, we do not lose hope for a peaceful and flourishing future for the people of Afghanistan.
Jordan
Since the beginning of the Syrian Crisis, Medair has been a lifeline to Syrian refugees in Jordan as they struggle to rebuild their lives from the ground up.
Lebanon
Since the beginning of the Syrian Crisis, Medair has been a lifeline to Syrian refugees in Lebanon as they struggle to rebuild their lives after surviving a civil war. We care for families by helping them meet their most urgent needs for fo
Syria
More than 12 years of conflict and a deadly earthquake in 2023 have had devastating effects on communities in Syria. But we are determined to help rebuild by restoring health services, safe water sources, and shelters for those in desperate
Ukraine
When conflict erupted in 2022 and sent millions of families fleeing for their lives, Medair was there within days to welcome them with open arms and meaningful support.
Yemen
While similar crises fight for the world’s attention, millions of children and mothers in Yemen are fighting for their lives in the shadows. Medair is responding with life-saving nutrition services.
Past countries
Albania
Medair worked in Albania in 1998 and 1999.
Angola
Medair's engagement in Angola occurred in 2002 and later in 2018-2019.
Armenia
Medair extended support to Armenia in 1993 and 1994.
Bangladesh
Medair operated in Bangladesh in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2018, and 2019.
Central African Republic (C.A.R.)
Medair operated in C.A.R. in 2014.
Chad
Medair operated in Chad in 1994 and later in 2013.
Chechnya
Medair operated in Chechnya in 1995, 1996, and 2004.
Ecuador
Medair operated in Ecuador in 2016.
Haiti
Medair worked in Haiti from 2008 to 2009, 2010 to 2012, and 2016.
India
Medair provided assistance in India in 2001.
Indonesia
Medair operated in Indonesia from 2006 to 2007 and later from 2008 to 2009, 2010 to 2012, and 2018.
Ingushetia
Medair provided assistance in Ingushetia in 1996.
Iran
Medair provided assistance in Iran in 2003.
Kosovo
Medair operated in Kosovo in 1998 and 1999.
Liberia
Medair worked in Liberia in 1991.
Mozambique
Medair has been active in Mozambique since 2000, with ongoing operations until 2019.
Myanmar
Medair worked in Myanmar in 2016.
Nepal
Medair worked in Nepal from 2014 to 2015 and later in 2016 and 2018.
North Ossetia
Medair was involved in North Ossetia in 1995 and later in 2004.
Pakistan
Medair's involvement in Pakistan spans from 2005 to 2007 and later from 2016 to 2017.
Philippines
Medair started working in the Philippines in 2013 and has ongoing operations.
Rwanda
Medair provided assistance in Rwanda in 1994.
Sierra Leone
Medair provided assistance in Sierra Leone from 2014 to 2015.
Sri Lanka
Medair worked in Sri Lanka in 2004.
Turkiye
Medair began providing humanitarian aid in Turkiye after the earthquakes in 2023.
Uganda
Medair started working in Uganda in 1989, with operations continuing until 1990. We returned in 2000 and operated until 2003.
Vanuatu
Medair provided assistance in Vanuatu in 2015.
Zimbabwe
Medair operated in Zimbabwe in 2002, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011-2012.
How you can help
Be part of restoring hope in people’s lives.
Our promise
To provide the best quality humanitarian aid in the most efficient way possible.
We are deeply grateful for the generosity of our donors and partners. That’s why we ensure internationally that 90.5% of all funds go directly to delivering humanitarian assistance worldwide where the needs are greatest, while 9.5% is used to support management and fundraising.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about Medair's mission, operations and how you can support the people we serve. Feel free to contact us if you have more questions
Where does Medair operate?
Our headquarters are in Switzerland - where we were orginally founded in 1989 - with Shared Service Centres in Kenya and Lebanon and national offices in France, Germany, South Korea, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States. Medair is currently responding to humanitarian needs in 13 countries worldwide and has responded in 45 countries since 1989.
How can I get involved in Medair's work?
We rely on the time, money and prayer of our generous network of supporters. If you’d like to volunteer, make a donation, partner with us or learn how you can pray for our work, visit our Get Involved page for more information.
What sort of projects does Medair do in the countries where you work?
Medair focuses on people’s most urgent needs in times of crisis, which most often includes water and sanitation, nutrition, health, and shelter. We also use cash assistance where appropriate to help people provide for themselves, allowing them to prioritise their biggest needs while investing in the local economy. The people we serve are often traumatised, so we offer mental health and psychosocial support.
Is Medair involved in long-term development projects?
Our mandate is to respond to urgent humanitarian needs resulting from disaster, disease, and conflict. However, for communities to be more resilient, they need to become better prepared and resourced to withstand future threats. That’s why we also work on disaster risk reduction, disaster preparedness, and climate change adaptation with communities. We also train health staff and communities, and hire staff locally to strengthen their capacity to respond to emergencies.
For example, in places prone to climate disasters like Madagascar, we developed an early warning system to help communities prepare for incoming cyclones and local staff and communities to maintain water systems and ensure the availability of clean water in the long term.
How does Medair ensure accountability and transparency in its operations?
We are transparent about our finances and committed to using them wisely – 90.5% of our funding goes directly to delivering humanitarian assistance and 9.5% to supporting management and fundraising efforts. We are certified to the Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS), which underlines our programme excellence and commitment to giving communities the lead role in finding local solutions. And we are deeply committed to upholding and being accountable for our codes of ethics and protection policies.