Medair
Medair is an international non-governmental organisation whose purpose is to relieve human suffering in some of the world's most remote and devastated places. Medair aims to assist people affected by natural disasters and conflict to recover with dignity through the delivery of quality humanitarian aid.
Founded in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland, in 1989, Medair is inspired by the Christian faith to serve the most vulnerable—regardless of race, gender, religion, age, or nationality. As of 2019, Medair employs more than 1,500 employees worldwide and has an annual operating budget of $105,286,664. More than 4.6 million people worldwide received direct support from the organization in 2022.
History
Founding
In 1988, Dr. Erik Volkmar and Dr. Josiane Volkmar-André were asked to travel to conflict-torn Soroti, Uganda with the support of three partner organisations—Medicaments pour L'Afrique, Mission Aviation Fellowship, and Youth with a Mission —to establish an organisation that would combine the efforts of the three organisations in order to respond more quickly and effectively to the growing crisis. This first, unified response provided support to displaced people as they resettled into towns where essential services were destroyed by the conflict.Medair was co-founded in 1989 in Switzerland by a group of eight volunteers led by Dr. Erik Volkmar and Dr. Josiane Volkmar-André—both trained physicians and experienced humanitarian aid workers.
Early years
In the years following, Medair expanded its programming to include projects assisting internally displaced people in Sudan, Liberia, and Iraq. By 1995, Medair was operating independently from its founding organisations, but continues to partner with Mission Aviation Fellowship today when its activities require them to travel to difficult-to-reach places inaccessible by car or foot.Today
As of 2022, Medair is active in 13 countries and responding to global crises including the Syrian refugee crisis, the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo, and the Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh. With expertise in health and nutrition, emergency shelter, water and sanitation, and cash assistance, more than 4.6 million people worldwide received direct support from Medair 2022.Organisation
Past leadership
Co-founder Erik Volkmar acted as Medair's first CEO for 15 years before stepping down in 2003.In 2004, Randall Zindler, a graduate of Lancaster University's MBA programme, became CEO. Zindler held a number of corporate positions with companies including Credit Suisse and Swissair before accepting the role of CEO for Medair.
In 2011, Zindler stepped down and Jim Ingram transitioned into the role of CEO that same year. Ingram began working for Medair years prior as its Finance Director and was a member of the Executive Leadership Team.
After seven years of leading the organisation as CEO, Ingram retired in 2018 and David Verboom was appointed CEO by the International Board of Trustees.
After 5 years of leadership under David Verboom, Anne Reitsema took over on April 4, 2023.
https://www.medair.org/press/medair-appoints-anne-reitsema-as-new-ceo/
Current leadership
Anne Reitsema became Medair’s Chief Executive Officer in 2023. Anne joined Medair in 2004 and has since led Medair’s programmes in Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, Sudan, South Sudan, and overseen Medair’s programmes in Somalia and Somaliland from the Global Support Office. In 2019, Anne became International Programmes Director.Before joining Medair, Anne worked as a social worker. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the North West University Potchefstroom in South Africa, and a master’s degree in Counselling from CTS in Saint Louis, Missouri in the US.
As International Programmes Director, Anne oversees Medair’s country programmes and the Global Emergency Response Team.
The Board of International Trustees is the organisation's governing body, and is composed of 9 leaders in their respective fields. Together, they are responsible for the missional and financial success of the organisation. Medair's board is appointed or elected by members of the Medair Association. The CEO is responsible for the management of Medair, supported by an Executive Leadership Team.
Global offices
Medair is headquartered in Ecublens, Switzerland. The Global Support Office in Switzerland provides programmatic, logistics, and funding support to the country programmes as well as support in human resources and recruitment, finance, fundraising and marketing, and information services.Medair has nine other offices located in Zurich, Geneva, Basel, South Korea, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands. These affiliate offices don't carry out or coordinate field programming. Instead, they assist with fundraising for field programs, recruiting international relief workers, and engaging local supporters.
Staffing
Medair recruits experienced and new relief workers with expertise in project management, health services, nutrition, water, human resources, logistics, communications and infrastructure rehabilitation.Employees are recruited internationally as well as nationally to work in field programs. Nationally recruited staff make up 80% of their total workforce across all field locations. Internationally recruited staff are expected to align with the organization's faith value and be experienced professionals in their field.
Prospective Medair staff participate in a Relief and Rehabilitation Orientation Course. This intensive course takes place multiple times a year and aims to evaluate and train participants before they go to the field.
Programming
As of 2022, Medair is operational in 13 countries. Medair directly implements its programming in its field locations and works with partner organisations when needed to access hard-to-reach, affected populations.Medair implements projects to meet the urgent needs of people affected by crisis and natural disaster, including emergency relief, shelter support, medical care, nutrition services, and water, sanitation, and hygiene. They also provide mental health and psychosocial support, build the capacity of local structures—such as health centers—and improve local infrastructure and disaster preparedness through implementing the Disaster Risk Reduction approach.
Finances
In 2022, Medair's total operating budget was $105,286,664, and 92% of operating expenses went directly to providing humanitarian aid. The remaining 8% was attributed to fundraising and management. Medair's main sources of funding include private donors, governmental and inter-governmental partners, non-governmental and partner organizations, foundations, corporate partners, and other public partners.In 2022, 56.1% of their operating income came from governmental support such as US Agency for International Development, and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. Additional funding came from United Nations agencies, such as The United Nations Children's Fund.
In 2022, corporate, foundation, and other private donations constituted 19.2% of the operating income, followed by other institutions and non-governmental organisations contributing 18.7% to total operating income. Gifts-in-kind provided for 5.8% of their operating income and 0.2% came from other income sources.
Activities
As a signatory of the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief, Medair provides humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable—regardless of race, gender, religion, age, or nationality.Medair focuses primarily on four areas of need: