- guardian.co.uk, Friday November 28 2003 15.24 GMT
Medecins Sans Frontieres was born out of the exasperation of a group of French doctors working in desperate conditions in the Biafra War in the early 1970s. They were determined to create a movement to deliver independent humanitarian aid wherever it was needed, and particularly one that would speak out about the plight of the victims it helped.
Thirty years later, MSF is now an international medical aid agency with a reputation of not only being the first to arrive in a crisis-hit area, but often, the only organisation to be there at all. The movement was awarded the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize.
Revolutionising relief
MSF's growth and increased professionalism in the 1970's came as a response to decolonisation and Cold War conflicts in Africa and Asia, which created massive refugee crises. Volunteers were paid allowances for the first time and a small back-up team was established at headquarters in Paris. In 1981, MSF set up its first logistics department to co-ordinate and channel emergency medical relief.
International movement
The success of MSF in France captured the imagination of other doctors across Europe. Operational "sections" of MSF sprang up in Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Spain. This expansion continued with the creation of support sections in Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Norway, Sweden, the US and - of course - the UK. The office, established here in 1993, supports the field work by recruiting volunteers, collecting donations and working with the media. There is also now a specialist medical team based in London, which works directly with the projects to help solve some of their urgent clinical problems.
To be able to speak and act freely, MSF is completely independent of any political, religious or economic powers. As a supporter of MSF - whether as a volunteer or through donations - you will be central to the movement's struggle to uphold humanitarian values, even in the most violent war zones.
This article was taken from the MSF website
