Merlin joins Save the Children to create a world-class humanitarian health force

The international health charity Merlin is joining Save the Children to create a world-class humanitarian health force for children and their families living in some of the toughest places in the world.

By combining Merlin’s network of frontline health workers with Save the Children’s life-saving work in over 120 countries more children affected by disasters or living in conflict and post-conflict zones will be reached. 

Justin Forsyth, Save the Children Chief Executive, said:

“Save the Children has had a long term ambition to extend our frontline health work to help millions more children and their families globally.

“By joining Merlin’s operations to ours we will massively extend our operational reach working together to create a larger and stronger network of health workers around the world”

Carolyn Miller CBE, Merlin Chief Executive, said:

“By combining Merlin’s expertise and flexibility with the heritage and reach of Save the Children, we will create a unique proposition; a global humanitarian health force that can provide faster and more cost effective support in a humanitarian crisis.

“For the last twenty years Merlin has been providing medical expertise in some of the toughest places across the globe. By joining Save the Children, this is a chance to realise our ambitious plans to reach and provide healthcare to more of the world’s most vulnerable people and secure a sustainable future for Merlin’s life saving work.”

The two charities will start working together on 16th July 2013.  The private sector company Reckitt Benckiser which already has a long standing partnership with Save the Children, is contributing £1 million to support Merlin joining Save the Children.  As a consumer health and hygiene focussed company Reckitt Benckiser knows how crucial it is get immediate health support extreme difficulties hit a community. It believes that joining Merlin’s capabilities with Save the Children will make a strong combination.

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Notes to editors:

·  Save the Children (www.savethechildren.net)  is the world’s leading, independent organisation for children, founded in 1919 in the UK and currently operating in over 120 countries.  The organisation delivers long term development assistance and help in emergencies to families, last year reaching 125 million children worldwide. 14,000 people work for Save the Children globally.

·  Merlin (www.merlin.org.uk) is an international health charity, saving lives in the world’s toughest places. Merlin responds with healthcare when people are overwhelmed by natural disaster, conflict or disease. After the immediate crisis, Merlin stays on to assist recovery – building resilience so that those at risk of future health disasters are better prepared.

·  Merlin has grown significantly since it was established in 1993 to respond to medical humanitarian needs in Bosnia. Over the last 20 years it has worked in more than 50 countries, with approximately 3,700 staff working in 18 countries.  Each year Merlin helps more than 15 million people.  Now, every minute of the day, 12 people around the world are treated by a Merlin health worker.