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Medair

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Concerns have been raised about the communication barriers put in place by this organisation and its refusal to reply to questions concerning how people's donations are spent. The charity's website gives contradictory data about the percentage of donations actually spent in the field. The charity's website does not show an e-mail address. There is a difficult to find message system, but repeated requests for information sent using this system are always ignored. A genuine charity would be only too happy to engage with potential donors, so potential donors might wish to draw their own conclusions..

Medair is an international non-governmental organization NGO of humanitarian aid with a stated mission, "to seek out and serve the most vulnerable people affected by crises."[1] Medair’s core competencies are emergency relief and rehabilitation.[2] Medair lists its values as: hope, compassion, dignity, accountability, integrity, and faith.[3]


Medair has approximately 1,300 employees worldwide, many with years of humanitarian experience.[4] Medair’s annual operating budget in 2009 was USD 34.7 million.[5] Its programs served 3.2 million beneficiaries in 2009.[6]

The organisation currently has programs running in Sudan, Haiti, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Zimbabwe.

Recent programs have been run in Albania, Angola, Armenia, Bangladesh, Chad, Chechnya, India, Indonesia,Ingushetia, Iraq, Iran, Kenya, Kosovo, Liberia, Mozambique, Ossetia, Rwanda, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

History

First Operation

In 1988, a small group of eight volunteers, led by Drs. Erik and Josianne Volkmar, traveled to conflict-affected Soroti, Uganda, with the support of three partner organizations: Medicaments pour L’Afrique (MEDAF), Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), and Youth with a Mission (YWAM). Their objective was to form an organization that could respond more quickly to crises than their own organizations could.[7] This first project provided support for displaced people as they resettled into towns that lacked essential services.[8]

The First Years: 1989-2003

Upon their return to Switzerland in 1989, Medair was registered as a not-for-profit organization.[9] In 1990, members of this original group conducted an assessment for a second project in Akobo, Sudan.[10] From 1991 to 1992, Medair’s Sudan program established medical care, safe water supply, food, and agricultural assistance for displaced persons.[11]

By 1991, Medair was running 3 programs at the same time in Sudan, Liberia, and Iraq.[12] Over the next decade, Medair’s operational capacity expanded until, by 2003, Medair began running as many as 9 country programs at one time in countries like D.R. Congo, Armenia, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, and Somalia.[13]

Throughout 1994 and 1995, Medair underwent major restructuring and became independent of its three founding organizations.[14] Medair continues to partner with MAF to this day, since many of Medair’s activities require traveling to hard-to-reach places.[15] The independent Medair formed with a International Board of Trustees and an Executive Committee to assist the CEO.[16] In 2003, Erik Volkmar, who had been with the organization since its inception, stepped down after 15 years as CEO.[17]

New Leadership: 2004-present

In 2004, Randall Zindler, a graduate of Lancaster University’s MBA program, became CEO.[18] Zindler had held a number of corporate positions with companies like Credit Suisse and Swissair before becoming CEO of Medair.[19]

In his first year as CEO, Zindler mobilized Medair’s response to the Asian tsunami.[20] Over the following few years, Medair developed a long-term vision and, following a major organizational review, clarified its identity as: “we bring life-saving relief and rehabilitation in disasters, conflict areas, and other crises by working alongside the most vulnerable.”[21]

In 2010, Randall Zindler began a transitional plan for his departure from Medair, leaving officially in January 2011. Jim Ingram, Medair's Finance Director, was appointed interim CEO by the Board of Trustees, while a comprehensive search continued for Medair's next CEO.[22]

Organizational Structure

Medair’s international Board of Trustees governs the Medair 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.

Offices

Medair’s operational headquarters is located in Ecublens, Switzerland. Medair has 5 affiliate offices in Germany, the USA, France, the U.K., the Netherlands. Each affiliate office has its own Board of Trustees.[23] Medair’s affiliate offices provide communication, fundraising, and recruitment support for Medair; they do not carry out or coordinate relief programs themselves. Medair headquarters establishes bases of operation in the countries where it provides relief work.

Field Staff

According to its website, Medair recruits experienced and new relief workers with expertise in project management, health services, nutrition, water, human resources, logistics, and construction.[24] Employees are comprised of both internationally recruited staff (IRS) and nationally recruited staff (NRS). Medair employs IRS who are committed Christians and experienced professionals.[25]

In an interview with The Guardian, Claire Skinner, a manager of Medair’s food aid project in Afghanistan, spoke about her experiences working for Medair. She acknowledged a range of challenges, from the isolation to the logistics of bringing in tools and supplies by donkey, but she is quoted as saying, “I love the rugged terrain and knowing we are helping some of the poorest communities in the country.”[26]

Prospective Medair staff participate in a Relief and Rehabiliation Orientation Course (ROC). This eight-day course takes place three times a year and aims to evaluate and train participants before they go to the field.[27]

Funding

Funding for Medair programs come from a combination of sources. The majority (67 percent in 2009)[28]comes from governmental support such as ECHO, USAID, the SDC, Swiss Solidarity, and United Nations funding, such as UNICEF.[29] The remainder comes from private donors, foundations, NGO partnerships, and gifts-in-kind. In 2009, Medair spent 87 percent of its global consolidated funds on humanitarian aid.[30]

References

  1. ^ Medair. “Who we are”. Retrieved November 26, 2010.
  2. ^ Medair. “Annual Review 2008”, pp.10-11. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
  3. ^ Medair. “Annual Review 2007”, p.7. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
  4. ^ Medair. “Annual Report 2009”, p.6. Retrieved December 15, 2010
  5. ^ Medair. “Annual Report 2009”, p.51. Retrieved December 15, 2010
  6. ^ Medair. “Annual Report 2009”, p.4. Retrieved December 15, 2010
  7. ^ (French) Jeunesse en Mission (Youth with a Mission). “Historique 1979-1988. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  8. ^ Medair. “Medair: The First Five Years”, 20 October 2009. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  9. ^ Medair. “Medair: The First Five Years”, 20 October 2009. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  10. ^ Volkmar-Andre, Josianne, trans. Christine Terrasson-Alexander (1996). Bread and Salt: The history of Medair. p. 42.
  11. ^ Medair. “Medair: The First Five Years”, 20 October 2009. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  12. ^ Medair. “Medair: The First Five Years”, 20 October 2009. Retrieved November 30, 2010
  13. ^ Medair. “The Path that Leads to Morning”. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  14. ^ Volkmar-Andre, Josianne, trans. Christine Terrasson-Alexander (1996). Bread and Salt: The history of Medair. p.79
  15. ^ EU-CORD. “Annual Report 2009”, p. 6; Mission Aviation Fellowship “Who we help”. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  16. ^ Volkmar-Andre, Josianne, trans. Christine Terrasson-Alexander (1996). Bread and Salt: The history of Medair. p.79
  17. ^ Medair. “Forged in the Fire”. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  18. ^ Medair. “Medair’s Leadership”. Retrieved December 3, 2010.
  19. ^ Morrison, James. “Change for the better: Escape the rat race and work with charities”, “The Independent”, 9 April 2009. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
  20. ^ Lancaster University Management School. “The Times: ‘Study provides tools for relief’”, “[LUMS News]”, 28 February 2005. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
  21. ^ Medair. “Forged in the Fire”. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  22. ^ Medair. “Randall Zindler departs Medair; Jim Ingram appointed interim CEO”. Retrieved February 2, 2011.
  23. ^ Medair. Annual Report 2009, p.54. Retrieved December 15, 2010
  24. ^ Medair. “Work with us”. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  25. ^ Medair. “Work with us”. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  26. ^ King, Mark. “Working overseas-just how dangerous can it be?”, 31 July 2010. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
  27. ^ Medair. “The Relief and Rehabilitation Orientation Course (ROC)”. Retrieved December 3, 2010.
  28. ^ Medair. Annual Report 2009, p.47. Retrieved December 15, 2010
  29. ^ Medair. “Funding & Corporate Partners 2010”. Retrieved December 10, 2010.
  30. ^ Medair. Annual Report 2009, p.47. Retrieved December 15, 2010
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