In 1983 the committee Ärzte für die Dritte Welt (Doctors for Developing Countries) was established. The committee was founded in Darmstadt, Germany, and is today located in Frankfurt am Main.
Almost 5,500 medical missions were carried through, since the humanitarian organisation has been started its service for the poorest of the poor in distress-areas of the so called Third World. Year after year around 330 doctors spend their annual holidays to help without payment.
Doctors for Developing Countries sends doctors to 9 projects in the Philippines, India, Bangladesh, Kenya, Sierra Leone and Nicaragua. Each project is supported by anywhere from two to eight doctors. In addition, the teams on Mindanao Island and Ocotal are completed by a dentist. Nearly every person we treat lives on less than 1.25 USD/day. Add to that hunger, disease, violence, and war. Doctors for Developing Countries is committed to the people in our projects.
The work is based on the following values: - the work is testimony to the value and dignity of the individual. - the work is testimony to human solidarity. - they respect the culture and religion of the people. - all poor and sick people that turn to them should receive the best medical care possible. - they are politically and missionary neutral.
In 2010, 142 female doctors and 138 male doctors (including 18 dentists) were active in 315 assignments in our nine projects. All the doctors are volunteers. What is more, they make a financial contribution, an amount totalling at least half of their airfare. An independent group of sponsors covers administrative costs, which amount to 7 to 8% of total expenses. Administrative costs are extremely low because Doctors for Developing Countries is very modestly equipped and a large portion of our administrative work is conducted by volunteers. Because our administrative costs are covered by a separate group of sponsors, Doctors for Developing Countries guarantees that all project donations will be used strictly for our work in the developing countries.
The charity organisation is financed from donations, federal aid for help in development countries and from fines (from petty crimes, traffic violations, etc.). All donations are used exclusively for the projects. A group of sponsors takes over the administrative costs.
Only around 7 to 8% of total expenditures went to administration. As in the past years, a special group of sponsors assumed these costs. The administration consists of 12 full-time employees and 15 volunteers.