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Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organisation. In English the name of the organisation is Doctors Without Borders. MSF help people that are poor, victims of war or victims of natural or man-made disasters. They are known as Doctors Without Borders because they help people regardless of their race, religion or political beliefs.

MSF was created by doctors and journalists in France in 1971. Today they help people in nearly 60 countries. Over 26,000 doctors, nurses and other professionals provide medical aid to people that need medical assistance. MSF also works hard to help children that suffer from malnutrition. There are approximately 195 million children around the world that don’t have enough to eat. The organisation provides healthy milk and food that is full of nutrients to many of these poor children. Children with severe malnutrition are looked after by MSF in hospitals until they recover.

A refugee with a sick child

Médecins Sans Frontières have been helping people in need in Somalia since 1991. They currently provide free medical health care, access to water and treatment for malnutrition to the poor and needy all over Somalia. The organisation also supports and treats the hundreds of thousands of Somalian refugees in camps in Kenya. Many of these refugees have recently fled war torn Somalia and have arrived at these camps hungry, weak and in need of urgent medical care.

A temporary school in a Kenyan refugee camp

In 1999 Médecins Sans Frontières was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of its work to provide health care in serious situations. MSF also raises awareness about potential humanitarian disasters.

To find out more or make a donation - Official MSF Website

humanitarian () - to be concerned with the welfare and health of people

natural disaster () - a terrible event caused by nature (earthquake, flood, hurricane)

man-made disaster () - a terrible event caused by man (war, nuclear explosions)

regardless () - without paying attention or caring about something

malnutrition () - to be underfed, not having enough healthy food

nutrients () - the goodness in food that we need for a healthy body

recover () - to get better after sickness or injury

refugees () - people that have had to leave their home because of war or a disaster

fled () - past tense of flee - to run away from something dangerous

urgent () - something that needs to be done right away, immediately

recognition () - to recognise or acknowledge that someone has done something

potential () - the possibility that something may happen in the future