In seven refugee villages in Pakistan, dozens of young people meet every week for two to three hours to practice their communication skills, set goals and plan meaningful community projects—from restoring a sports ground to distributing school bags to children. They are participants in International Medical Corps’ Youth Empowerment Program. “The main objective of the …
Imagine a child so weak from malnutrition that she forgets to smile. She sits on her bed, staring into space, unable to walk or play. This was 4-year-old Fatima, from a remote village in Hays district in Yemen. She was suffering from acute malnutrition bordering on the severe category. Her mother suffered along, watching helplessly …
Families in communities across South Sudan are facing the threat of malnutrition, with an estimated 7.7 million people—57% of the population—at risk for acute food insecurity, according to UNICEF. Ongoing conflict, extreme weather, rising food prices and lack of access to healthcare create a challenging environment in which to raise a family. In the face …
Bringing Clean Water and Warmth to Afghan Children Decades of conflict in Afghanistan has left many children without parents. At the Azad Children Transitional Center, having clean, safe water is essential for the health and well-being of the orphaned children who live there. That’s why International Medical Corps repaired the center’s water supply system, ensuring …
Part of being a humanitarian organization means putting people at the center of our work. To ensure that we are effectively helping the people we serve, International Medical Corps has community-based feedback and response mechanisms (CBFRM) in place in every country where we operate. CBFRM offer communities safe, accessible and preferred communication channels where they …
International Medical Corps has been active in the United States and its territories since 2005, responding to emergencies including Hurricane Katrina and the COVID-19 pandemic. Below, Shira Goldstein, Deputy Director of Country Planning and Programs for the US, talks about how responses in our home country differ from those in other countries. There are so …
When multiple wildfires broke out in Los Angeles in early January, International Medical Corps was very much there—staff members could clearly see the first fire, in the Pacific Palisades, from our office windows. These collective fires eventually burned a total of more than 16,000 homes, businesses and schools across 40,000 acres, displacing at least 200,000 …
In rural Zimbabwe, women and girls are the primary water collectors. Before our team made improvements to water access and infrastructure in several villages there, this responsibility was so time-consuming that school-age girls missed 10 to 15 school days per year. Suan Kupuka, who now chairs her local water committee, describes life in her Bikita …
Somalia is prone to intense and frequent droughts, storms, floods and heat waves, which cause food, water and livelihoods insecurity, create a rise in water- and vector-borne illnesses and worsen the overall health and well-being of communities. Chronic insecurity and a lack of infrastructure make it hard to overcome these challenges. Our Water, Sanitation and …
Starting in July 2024, the Far North region of Cameroon began experiencing excessive rainfall that led to swelling rivers and flooding—all of which worsened ongoing security issues in the area. The floods—which have impacted more than 400,000 people—have led to food insecurity and displacement, in addition to making healthcare much harder for communities to access. …