People are inevitably captivated by disasters. Television, online media, social networks and newspapers report immediately from affected areas. In just the first three months of 2011, the earthquake in New Zealand, the flood in Australia, and in particular, the earthquake and tsunami in Japan provided shocking images. Extreme natural events such as the tsunami on Boxing Day 2004 as well as the earthquake in Haiti and the flood in Pakista n both in 2010 have had catastrophic effects on the affected regi ons. The frequency and intensity of such extreme events have increased alarmingly in recent years. But did the disaster risk also increase?

In 2006 medico, Brot für die Welt, Misereor, terre des hommes and Welthungerhilfe formed the Alliance Development Works ( Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft or BEH in German): It has since been joined by other German partners including Kindernothilfe,...

When the earthquake struck Haiti on 12 January 2010 the capital Port-au-Prince was almost totally destroyed and over 250,000 people lost their lives. In the midst of such an apocalyptic nightmare, emergency aid provided by Haiti's neighbours provided...

When Pakistan was overwhelmed by floods along the Indus and other regions in August 2010, medico’s partner HANDS (Health and Nutrition Development Society) was one of the first civil society organisations on the scene. In the Sindh region HANDS...

It can often take many years to assess the long-term effects, if any, of humanitarian aid in post-disaster situations. One example is the situation in Nicaragua following Hurricane Mitch in 1998. There, medico international had been supporting...

The coastal village of Tirúa was particularly badly hit by the severe earthquake that devastated Southern Chile in February 2010. Many Mapuche Indians, who were persecuted during the Pinochet dictatorship and also have little voice in society under...

From time to time catastrophes remind us of the dangers lurking along the uncertain paths of historical development. Such was the case with the banking crisis which made the destructive potential of neoliberalism clear for all to see. This is also...

At medico international ‘critical emergency relief’ means more than disaster management. We provide victims with the support they need to help themselves, jointly reflect with them on the underlying political and economic causes and assist them in coping with the psychological and social trauma.

The deadly diarrhoea epidemic in Zimbabwe could have been foreseen and avoided. Health Committees were a verhicle both for emergency relief and social protest.

**Project Funding 2012** - Primary health services, Community Working Group for Health (CWGH) - HIV prevention, Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ)