The Polish Center for International Aid (PCPM) is a non-governmental organization. Our mission is to provide humanitarian, development and medical relief assistance throughout the world, while maintaining the basic principles of humanitarianism, impartiality, neutrality and independence.
PCPM was established in 2006 and since then has implemented projects in Lebanon, Ukraine, Nepal, Peru, South Sudan, Uganda, Tajikistan, Palestine, Georgia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zambia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, Burkina Faso. We direct our actions to those who need it the most – victims of humanitarian crises and most vulnerable communities around the world.
PCPM is the largest NGO in Poland working in development cooperation, and one of the largest organisations in Poland delivering humanitarian assistance.
Development Cooperation
PCPM focuses on activities that facilitate economic growth, job creation, and increase emergency preparedness.
Disaster risk reduction and capacity building of emergency services in Kenya and Georgia
Since 2014, thanks to Polish aid funding, PCPM has implemented the largest fire brigade training program in Kenya that benefited over 45% of firefighters in 31 counties. PCPM experts provided basic and advanced trainings focused on firefighting, first aid, rope and water rescue. Within the project, over 20 County Fire Brigades received fire and rescue equipment support including the first Kenya-made medium fire engine. Moreover, PCPM has initiated development of the first professional certified firefighting training program in Kenya. In order to increase the training potential among the fire brigade personnel, we invested in a modern training facility, Fire and Rescue Training Centre located in Kiambu. It aims at serving firefighters from both all over Kenya and other African countries. In Georgia, PCPM assessed the preschool infrastructure, trained preschool teachers in disaster management and equipped kindergartens with the basic firefighting facilities. Together with Georgian local authorities, doctors, and public institutions we also worked on improvement of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) strategy, and an effective flood Early Warning Systems (EWS).
Training emergency medicine and rapid response specialists in the West Bank in Palestine
PCPM liaises with Palestinian partners to improve Emergency Medicine Services and capacities of Palestinian medics, also those carrying aid abroad. In 2021-2023 PCPM works together with the Ministry of Health (MoH) to upgrade the skills of doctors, nurses and EMTs from the MoH, private medical sector and NGOs. Throughout a series of complex trauma, cardiovascular and U/S FAST courses we will train a new generation of Palestinian Trainers. PCPM supports also the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS) to provide basic medical care for the Palestinian citizens living in area C in the West Bank. In 2019-2020 together with Palestine International Cooperation Agency, PCPM developed skills of members of Palestine Rapid Response and Rescue Team through expert trainings. Together with the Ministry of Health and the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) we cooperated on creating a continuous education program and a homogeneous set of work principles for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). We have provided ToT courses for PRCS EMTs and equipped around 100 ambulances in the West Bank. Also with PRCS, we have carried out first aid trainings for inhabitants of area C in the West Bank.
Support for agriculture cooperatives in Lebanon and Palestine
PCPM works on improving production and marketing to increase the value of agricultural production and farmers' income. In Palestine, we also built irrigation systems for farmlands, using purified wastewater. Our activities in Lebanon are also focused on environmental protection by reducing pollution of rivers flowing into the Mediterranean Sea, and the use of renewable energy.
Development of the medical emergency system in Ethiopia
PCPM supports the Ethiopian Ministry of Health comprehensively in developing Emergency Medical Services. We provide support by equipping ambulances and emergency medical departments according to the local needs. In cooperation with the ALERT center in Addis Ababa, we strive to improve the capacities of Ethiopian medical personnel through additional training in Advanced Life Support (ALS). Also, PCPM conducts the training of trainers (ToTs) for the local staff to build a pool of competent instructors.
Disaster Response and Medical Assistance
Poland Emergency Medical Team PCPM provides rapid response emergency assistance. It can be deployed within 24 hours to bring medical care to victims of natural disasters or humanitarian emergencies. It is the only such team in Poland. In 2019 was certified by World Health Organization (WHO) as “Type 1 Emergency Medical Team” – as such, it is one of only nine medical teams operated by a non-governmental organization in the world. Until now, the team has taken part in medical and relief operations in Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nepal, Peru, South Sudan, Uganda, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Lebanon, Ethiopia and Madagascar.Humanitarian Cooperation
Since 2012, PCPM has assisted the poorest refugee households and host communities in northern Lebanon, in the area immediately adjacent to the Syrian border:
Emergency shelter in camp, non-camp and urban areas. PCPM specializes in securing refugees’ shelter through cash-based rental support (Cash for Rent), improvement of living conditions in the refugee camps (Arsal) and improvement of living conditions in urban areas (Beirut).
Public works and employment. PCPM carried out public works projects in areas hosting large numbers of refugees, especially in Lebanon. Syrian refugees were gainfully employed in public works (Cash for Work), overseen by municipalities of Lebanon’s Akkar province.
Social services, including health care and education. Since 2014, PCPM operates a health care center and education center for Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
Nutrition assistance in South Sudan. PCPM supports the feeding centre in Gordhim. We provided specialized therapeutic food for malnourished children.
Health care in Uganda. PCPM improved health care centres in the Bidi Bidi camp, where about 223 000 refugees from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo had found asylum.
Support for schools in Ethiopia. PCPM has been working in Ethiopia since 2012. At that time, we conducted, among others, firefighting trainings, we installed solar farm in over 100 schools and equipped them with libraries. We are currently planning to provide meals for school pupils and their families in the city of Debre Berham.
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