Malteser International

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Malteser International

Formation	January 2, 2005 (2005-01-02)
Purpose/focus	humanitarian
Location	Cologne, Germany
Region served	worldwide (in 20 countries in 2011)
Parent organization	Malteser Hilfsdienst e.V.
Affiliations	Sovereign Order of Malta
Slogan	"For a healthy life in dignity"
Website	www.malteser-international.org

Malteser International is the worldwide relief agency of the Sovereign Order of Malta for humanitarian aid with the status of a non-governmental organisation. The relief service has more than 50 years of experience in humanitarian relief and currently covers around 100 projects in about 20 countries in Africa, Asia and the Americas.

24 national associations and priories of the Order of Malta are members of Malteser International.

History

Malteser International evolved from Malteser Germany (founded in 1953) and its Foreign Aid Service (“Auslandsarbeit”). In 1992, the German foreign aid department combined forces with other relief services of the Order of Malta around the world to form the Emergency Corps of the Order of Malta (ECOM), which provided relief after natural and man-made disasters, such as the 1999 Kosovo crisis and the 2003 Bam earthquake. As a response to the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean, Malteser International replaced ECOM as the worldwide relief agency of the Order of Malta, broadening its mission to include long-term rehabilitation and development programmes.^[1]

Relief Efforts Chronicle

Some of the organisation’s most important deployments include:^[2]

1956: Refugee aid at the Austro-Hungarian border
1966-1975: Refugee aid in Vietnam
Since 1979: Refugee aid in Thailand (for refugees coming from neighboring countries)
Since 1980: transport of humanitarian aid to Central and Eastern Europe
1989: humanitarian aid for East German refugees in Budapest
1994-1996: Aid to Rwanda
1999: Kosovo crisis
Since 2001: Emergency relief and reconstruction in Myanmar
2004: Refugee aid in Darfur, Sudan
2005:Tsunami relief in South and South-East Asia
2010: Earthquake relief in Haiti and Chile, Flood relief in Pakistan
2011: Earthquake relief in Japan, drought relief in Northern Kenya

Values and Work ethics

Malteser International is committed to helping all people in all parts of the world without distinction of religion, race or political persuasion. Christian values and the humanitarian principles of impartiality and independence are the foundation of its work. Despite being a Catholic organisation, Malteser International works also in non-Christian countries and therefore employs workers from various religious backgrounds in its projects. The organisation works with nearly 90% local staff, as well as with local partner organisations (both religious and non-religious NGOs) and local church structures in its project countries. Malteser International adheres to several internationally recognized codes and standards, such as the “Code of Conduct” (Principles of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Response Programmes) and the “Sphere Project”.

Activities

Relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation

In the aftermath of war, natural disaster or following a particular crisis, Malteser International responds to the fundamental needs of the affected population. In these early stages, the focus of any response is upon helping people with basic survival. Programmes focusing on emergency medical relief and the distribution of relief items – such as the means for water purification and storage, household items, shelter kits and basic food rations – are “first response instruments”. Malteser International’s aim is to further reduce vulnerability and to provide communities affected by crises and disasters with sustainable reconstruction and rehabilitation programmes. Programme components include actual reconstruction of houses and public buildings as well as social rehabilitation measures, such as the reintegration of refugees within their homeland or reconciliation programmes in war-torn communities.

Health and nutrition

Malteser International cooperates with local authorities and partner organisations to set up and improve primary health care services, covering curative care, communicable disease control, health management and financing, medical emergencies and the responsible use of medicines. Special attention is given to reproductive health and health education as well as to the fight against HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.

WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene)

Malteser International’s activities within this sector include water supply and water treatment, construction and maintenance of sanitary facilities and sanitation management, and hygiene education and promotion.

Livelihood & social programmes

Activities in this sector aim primarily at poverty reduction and provide, through a participatory approach, increased well-being, reduced vulnerability, more income and improved food security. Examples include cash-for-work measures and capacity building.

Disaster Risk Reduction

Malteser International includes disaster risk reduction and mitigation components in many projects for people living in areas at risk of natural disasters. The focus is on community-based disaster risk management, which aims to support and to strengthen local coping capacities and to reduce vulnerabilities of people at risk. Measures include the construction of cyclone- and earthquake-resistant shelters, training local emergency response teams and setting up early warning systems.

Organisation

24 national Associations and Priories of the Order of Malta are currently members of Malteser International. Their representatives, together with the Board of Directors, the Secretary General, the Vice-Secretary General and the Chaplain of Malteser International, form the General Assembly. The Board of Directors consists of the President and up to six Vice-Presidents. The Secretary General manages the operational activities in line with the adopted budget and the strategy of Malteser International.

Facts and Figures

Project volume 2011: €34.6 million^[3]

Africa: €8.7 million
Asia: €19.4 million
Americas: €2.9 million

Highlights 2011^[4]

Earthquake relief and reconstruction in Japan
Drought relief in Kenya
DR Congo, Myanmar, Pakistan

Partners and Networks

Malteser International is a member of:
VOICE
People In Aid

External links

References

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