Registered Charity No 261488

Background

AMREF, the African Medical and Research Foundation, is the leading African health development organisation. With pioneering health programmes across sub-Saharan Africa and based in Nairobi, Kenya, AMREF now consists of a staff of more than 600, of whom 97% are African.

AMREF works in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda focusing on the following interventions:

• HIV/AIDS, TB & Sexually Transmitted Infections
• Malaria
• Safe Water and Environmental Sanitation
• Family Health
• Clinical Outreach, Disaster Management & Emergency Response
• Training & Development of Health Learning Materials

From urban slums to nomadic areas, AMREF has nearly 50 years unparalleled community-based experience in developing economically viable, culturally appropriate and sustainable health solutions in Africa.

In 2005, AMREF was proud to become the first African organisation to receive a Gates Award for Global Health, in recognition of its pioneering health work in Africa’s poorest communities. It was also the 1999 recipient of the Conrad Hilton Humanitarian Prize.

AMREF UK is one of 12 fundraising offices set up in Europe and North America to support this vital work in Africa.

Mission
AMREF’s mission is to improve the health of disadvantaged people in Africa as a means for them to escape poverty and improve the quality of their lives.

Method of Operation
To achieve its mission, AMREF has identified three core strategies. These are
1. Capacity building
2. Operation research
3. Advocacy

AMREF's approach places emphasis on developing, testing and evaluating methodologies and systems that are appropriate, relevant, affordable and effective.

History
AMREF was established as the Flying Doctors Society of East Africa in Nairobi, Kenya in 1957. The Flying Doctors Service remains an important part of AMREF’s work, bringing medical assistance and training to the most remote regions of East Africa.