International aid work is a dangerous profession. Humanitarian workers dive into war zones, rummage through rubble after earthquakes, and travel by air, boat, donkey, or any means possible to reach remote villages devastated by conflict and natural disasters. Many are injured and killed in their service to humanity and today, on World Humanitarian Day, International Medical Corps is inviting you to remember and honor those who risk - or lose - their lives in an effort to save others.
Since 1984, International Medical Corps has worked in some of the most dangerous environments of the world, providing life-saving health care and training to help communities transition from relief to self-reliance. Currently, we work in more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, including such volatile areas as Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Darfur. International Medical Corps staff has also responded to some of the most devastating natural disasters of our time, including the Indian Ocean tsunami, the Pakistan earthquake, Hurricane Katrina, and, just last year, Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar.
International Medical Corps' more than 3,500 field staff often work under extreme conditions and security constraints to bring life-saving medical care and training to people who otherwise may have been without any help at all. Unfortunately, the threats are increasing dramatically, with 2008 the worst year on record to be a humanitarian worker. Despite the risks and challenges, our dedicated staff members work around the clock to make our mission - helping communities in crisis move from relief to self-reliance - possible.