Intersos

INTERSOS was founded on 25 November 1992.

Initially, the organization operated in Somalia, starting its first project and acquiring the Jowhar Regional Hospital. Missions then expanded to Burundi and Rwanda, assisting Rwandan refugees and supporting the National Health System.

In subsequent years, INTERSOS expanded its reach, establishing the Mine Action Unit with demining operations in Bosnia, Angola, Afghanistan and Iraq. Humanitarian operations expanded to central and northern Bosnia, responding to the needs of the war-affected population, and Mozambique, facilitating the return of refugees from Malawi. In addition, INTERSOS offered support to Chechen refugees in Ingushetia and Chechnya and intervened in Albania with food distributions, infrastructure rehabilitation and health support.

The turn of the last century also saw INTERSOS engaged in food security projects in Angola, response to the drought emergency in Eritrea and humanitarian projects in Kosovo. Humanitarian missions expanded to Nicaragua in response to Hurricane Mitch, refugee assistance, repatriation, and medical rehabilitation.

In the early years of the 21st century, INTERSOS expanded its presence in Sudan, Chad, Lebanon, Yemen, Mauritania and the Democratic Republic of Congo, supporting displaced persons, responding to humanitarian emergencies, and contributing to post-earthquake reconstruction in Indonesia. The organization assisted Afghan refugees in Pakistan and responded to crises such as the hurricane in Haiti.

The next decade saw INTERSOS on new missions to Jordan, the Central African Republic, and Italy: here, it opened INTERSOS24 in Rome to protect vulnerable migrant women and minors from COVID-19.

The last few years have taken INTERSOS to Greece, Nigeria, Libya, Syria, and Niger and initiated intervention in Ukraine. It has supported the COVAX initiative for the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide.

It is currently present in 23 countries.