Medical Teams International

It's World Breastfeeding Week! 🤱🏾 For a variety of reasons, breastfeeding isn’t always adopted in some of the countries we serve. But breastfeeding does help newborn health outcomes, especially for babies born into fragile contexts. Read our recent blog to find out more about the impact of breastfeeding and how Medical Teams educates and supports mothers and children: https://buff.ly/4fo6uUt

"Blood cannot be bought, regardless of one's wealth," Dr. Eddah Ndabila, one of our staff members in Tanzania, says. "In times of need, the sole source is an individual's donation. Donating blood is a life-saving act where donors make a significant contribution by sharing a part of their own lives to save others. It is an admirable and selfless act, a unique and profound gift dedicated to saving lives." Consider our team in Tanzania life-savers, then. At a recent event held in partnership with the Tanzania Red Cross Society, they donated 687 units of safe blood! This incredible event highlights the power of collaboration and community engagement when it comes to addressing urgent health care needs!

A few more photos from the Tanzania team's retreat last month! In addition to staff development and strategic direction sessions, they also took part in some good-natured competition outside! We love seeing our team members in Tanzania have fun and grow together. #TeamBuilding

Go Team Tanzania! 🏆 In June, our team in Tanzania attended a retreat session over 2 days to reflect and renew together. They heard from spiritual speakers, discussed organizational direction and future improvements, participated in staff development, and connected with the leadership team. It goes without saying that humanitarian work is hard and stressful. Taking the time to pause, reflect, and renew together is critical!

In mid-February, Medical Teams welcomed Lauren Taylor as our Chief of International Programs. Lauren came to Medical Teams with a wealth of experience in international relief and development and working in fragile contexts. Prior to Medical Teams, she served as National Director of World Vision International’s Jerusalem – West Bank – Gaza program. Her passion for helping people move beyond suffering and into healing, wholeness, empowerment, and opportunity has been inspirational to both the people we serve and all of us at Medical Teams. Lauren’s guidance and leadership have already made an impact! We're excited to share more of Lauren’s story, in her own words. Read her journey to humanitarian work, how she found Medical Teams, and her reflections on a recent trip to visit our programs in east Africa: https://buff.ly/4c7jNFV

Recent, deadly attacks in Ukraine have created more fear and dread among those trying to live, work, and survive in a country at war. "Last week, news broke about the horrific bombing of a children’s hospital in Kyiv – an attack on the most innocent of civilians," said Duncan Fleck, Medical Teams Ukraine Country Director. "I certainly heard the explosions, which were the loudest I have experienced in Kyiv. Staff, including myself, also felt the blasts; they were only about 15 minutes away by car." The air strikes destroyed a large children’s hospital in the Ukrainian capital. This attack, which killed and injured innocent civilians in central Kyiv was a shocking reminder of the violence, destruction, and brutality of the Russian attacks. Medical Teams staff remain committed to caring for Ukrainians, offering increased health and psychosocial support through our mobile medical units, despite their own fear and threats to safety. Learn more about how we're caring: https://buff.ly/4dpArld

Thank you to BORGEN Magazine for covering such an important topic! One of our extraordinary team members, Jared Lollar, shared Medical Teams' commitment to providing health care in one of the world's least publicized conflicts. The need in Ethiopia is enormous. As the article states, "About 68.7% of its population suffers from multidimensional poverty, with an additional 18.4% at risk. The country’s health care system is under strain from ongoing conflicts, underfunding and environmental issues like droughts. Access to necessities is a critical concern, as 73% of Ethiopians lack access to safe drinking water and more than 90% do not have proper sanitation facilities, leaving many in urgent need of assistance. Ethiopia has made significant strides in health care over the last decade, yet access to modern medical services remains severely limited, especially in times of crisis." Read on to see how Medical Teams is making a difference in this complex context!

A group of about 15 students from Kazakstan, Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Nigeria visited Medical Teams headquarters last week to learn about servant leadership. These students are from The Co-Serve International Servant Leadership Academy. Medical Teams founder, Ron Post, joined this group to share the Medical Teams story. The team also volunteered in our Distribution Center helping to prepare donated medical supplies for shipment worldwide. Thank you to the Co-Serve International group and Ron Post for inspiring the next generation of leaders!

Thank you to Aldrich Advisors for spending your Action Day volunteering at Medical Teams this week! Here's just a bit of what these incredible volunteers accomplished: • Packing 500 hygiene kits going to El Programa Hispano and Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center • Writing cards of encouragement to staff in Colombia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Ukraine, and the United States • Washing Care & Connect big red clinic vans • Landscaping the Medical Teams headquarters and distribution center parking lot We are so grateful for each employee and your generous help! ❤️

As a member of the INTEGRAL ALLIANCE, a network of Christian humanitarian organizations, Medical Teams is dedicated to healing our hurting world...especially in forgotten crises. Alongside our partner organizations, we're shining a spotlight on a few of the neglected crises that are being overlooked by the public and media. A recent report published by Integral explains 5 factors exacerbating the neglect of these crises, and advocates for the world to take action. Learn more: