WHAT AMAR DOES
For over two decades we have delivered professional healthcare and education on a sustainable footing, and today we provide more than one million medical consultations to disadvantaged people every year. AMAR supports primary and secondary schools with programmes covering health education, Human Rights and Rule of Law, and democracy. We also run adult development programmes offering leadership training, adult literacy and vocational courses in IT, English language and business skills. In 2012 we delivered regular education and training to roughly 35,000 Iraqis in their own communities, including children, students, prisoners, prison guards, widows and female heads of households. Our clinics and education programmes act as an anchor for communities with few other resources. The confidence that comes from dependable healthcare and good schools for children and adult learners fosters a more hopeful and less conflict-prone atmosphere at the heart of each community.
EXAMPLE PROJECTS
Empowerment of Widows and Female Heads of Households: We give 1,000 widows and female heads of households education and skills training in literacy and numeracy, sewing and design, food preparation, hairdressing and IT. Stop Gender Based Violence project run by AMAR US: AMAR's US office runs a Kurdistan-based project that seeks to tackle gender based violence against women by offering support services to victims alongside public workshops and classes. Educate a Child Initiative in partnership with UNESCO: This project seeks to enrol 8,500 out-of-school children (50% girls) in Baghdad and Basra in an accelerated learning programme so they can complete their primary level education. Human Rights and the Rule of Law: We deliver workshops and lectures to 10,646 students, 1,400 male and female prisoners and 500 prison guards, over 2,600 vulnerable women, and 1,200 government officials to deepen understanding of human rights and civic responsibilities. Primary Health Care programme in partnership with the World Bank: We deliver essential health care and health education services to a catchment area of 445,000 people through 23 Health Care Centres, 3 Mobile Health Clinics, 600 WHVs, 4 specialised TB clinics, 63 schools and a community health education programme. Women Health Volunteers (WHVs): Local women are trained in preventative health techniques and visit up to 50 families in their own communities to provide essential health services, advice and education. Drugs Awareness Programme in Lebanon: AMAR runs ad hoc drugs awareness sessions in schools and communities in Beirut and aims to build a national drugs awareness strategy and central information point. AMAR fights polio outbreak in Iraq: Earlier this year, AMAR worked alongside Iraq's Ministry of Health to help fight an outbreak of polio - the first in 14 years - helping the ministry step up its vaccination campaign to stop the disease spreading. TB Prevention project in partnership with UNDP: TB has been identified by the World Health Organisation as one of the world's biggest health threats and Iraq is one of the nations at exceptional risk. AMAR is working to raise community awareness of TB control by training male and female community health volunteers through monthly sessions. Support provided to Syrian Refugees: As well as providing essential items such as blankets and food, AMAR's team in Lebanon are working to help Syrian Refugees adjust to their new lives.
AMAR's work spans healthcare, education and human rights, reaching communities that have few other resources. From mobile clinics and health volunteers to adult literacy and vocational training, each programme is designed to build lasting local capacity. Explore the example projects above to see how these efforts take shape in practice.