How we work
From our foundation in 1841 through to today, EMMS International has followed the example of Jesus Christ in bringing care and compassion through improved healthcare.
"...I was sick and you looked after me..." Matthew 25:36
We continue to seek to serve and support some of the world's poorest and most vulnerable communities. EMMS International works with partners in Malawi, Nepal, India, Zambia and Edinburgh to improve people’s well-being and provide better healthcare including in the hardest to reach areas.
Healthcare and poverty
Our work addresses inequalities for people who are excluded and marginalised by sickness and poverty through developing palliative care, reducing the impact of disease and responding to healthcare emergencies with our partners.
Right to healthcare
EMMS International increases access to healthcare and well-being for people held back by low income, poor social standing, disability and distressing personal and social circumstances.
In the last five years (2015 - March 2020) we helped nearly 718,000 people living in poverty, over half of them hard-to-reach and over half of them female. In the same period, we trained 3,264 healthcare staff, mainly female.
A global palliative care specialist
EMMS International adopts the World Health Organization (WHO) holistic definition of palliative care. Our strength is that we do not simply specialise in pain relief but in the broad spectrum of needs that affect a family in need of palliative care, from spiritual to social needs, from children's schooling to inheritance planning, and from active living for the patient to bereavement counselling for the family.
Palliative care is increasingly needed, as more people all over the world suffer from chronic illness while living in poverty. Low-income countries face the double burden of HIV, malaria and TB alongside a higher incidence of non-communicable diseases.
How we work
We operate through a trusted and proven network of partners, and our own office and staff are based entirely in the UK.
Current Projects
Find out below about our projects in Malawi, Nepal, India and Scotland.