INTERSOS

INTERSOS is an independent Italian humanitarian organization founded on 25 November 1992. It works in emergencies and protracted crises where conflict, violence, displacement, extreme poverty, or natural and human-made disasters threaten civilian life and dignity. Its model combines direct implementation with partnerships involving local associations, humanitarian organizations, and European and international institutions. The organization began its operational history in Somalia, where it launched an initial project and took responsibility for the Jowhar Regional Hospital. It subsequently expanded into the Great Lakes region, supporting Rwandan refugees and contributing to Rwanda's national health system. During the 1990s, INTERSOS broadened its emergency portfolio to include war-affected communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, refugee return and reintegration in Mozambique, displaced Chechen populations in Ingushetia and Chechnya, and humanitarian assistance in Albania. Its work in Albania included food distribution, infrastructure rehabilitation, and health services. A significant area of specialization was mine action. INTERSOS created a humanitarian mine-clearance unit in 1997, first operating in Bosnia and later in Angola, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The mine-action program ended in 2007. Alongside demining, the organization developed food-security programs in Angola, drought-response operations in Eritrea, humanitarian projects in Kosovo, and post-disaster and refugee-related interventions in Nicaragua following Hurricane Mitch. During the early twenty-first century, INTERSOS expanded into Sudan, Chad, Lebanon, Yemen, Mauritania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It assisted displaced people, responded to acute emergencies, and participated in post-earthquake reconstruction in Indonesia. Other operations included support for Afghan refugees in Pakistan and humanitarian work following the Haiti hurricane emergency. Later expansion included Jordan, the Central African Republic, Greece, Nigeria, Libya, Syria, Niger, and Ukraine. INTERSOS's program areas include protection, water and sanitation, emergency distributions, shelter, health, nutrition, food security, and emergency education. In Italy, it operates protection programs for migrants, women, and children. Its Rome-based INTERSOS24 initiative provides a safe space and child-friendly space for vulnerable women and minors and includes a clinic in the Torre Spaccata area. In Greece, a partner organization called INTERSOS Hellas directly manages humanitarian programs. The organization has also supported the COVAX initiative, which sought to promote more equitable worldwide access to COVID-19 vaccines. INTERSOS is a member of ICVA, VOICE, and LINK 2007, holds consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, and has observer status at the International Organization for Migration. The reference material describes it as operating in 23 countries. Since 2015, Konstantinos Moschochoritis has served as Director General. Its presidency has included Nino Sergi, Raffaele Morese, Marco Rotelli, and Mamadou Ndiaye.

INTERSOS was established in Italy on 25 November 1992 as an independent humanitarian organization. Its first recorded operation was in Somalia, where it launched a humanitarian project and acquired responsibility for the Jowhar Regional Hospital. The organization then moved into the Great Lakes crisis, working in Burundi and Rwanda to assist Rwandan refugees and support the country's national health system. During the 1990s, INTERSOS developed a wider regional response capacity. It assisted populations affected by the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, helped refugees return in Mozambique, supported Chechen refugees in Ingushetia and Chechnya, and carried out food, infrastructure, and health activities in Albania. In 1997 it created a humanitarian mine-clearance unit. Mine-action operations began in Bosnia and later extended to Angola, Afghanistan, and Iraq, making demining an important specialist component of the organization's earlier work. That unit concluded its activities in 2007. At the turn of the century, INTERSOS added food-security projects in Angola, drought-response work in Eritrea, humanitarian operations in Kosovo, and assistance in Nicaragua after Hurricane Mitch. The organization also worked on refugee assistance, repatriation, and medical rehabilitation. These activities illustrate the combination of emergency relief, recovery support, health services, and displacement assistance that became characteristic of its operating model. In the first decade of the twenty-first century, INTERSOS expanded into Sudan, Chad, Lebanon, Yemen, Mauritania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its work included assistance to displaced people, emergency response, and support for communities recovering from crisis. It also participated in post-earthquake reconstruction in Indonesia, assisted Afghan refugees in Pakistan, and responded to the humanitarian consequences of the hurricane emergency in Haiti. The following decade brought programs in Jordan, the Central African Republic, and Italy. In Italy, INTERSOS developed protection-oriented work for migrants, women, and children, including INTERSOS24 in Rome. In more recent operations, the organization established or expanded a presence in Greece, Nigeria, Libya, Syria, Niger, and Ukraine. In Greece, INTERSOS Hellas functions as a partner organization that directly manages humanitarian programs in the country. INTERSOS's activities now cover protection, water and hygiene, emergency distributions, shelter, health, nutrition, food security, and emergency education. It works independently while collaborating with local and international organizations and major institutional partners. The organization is affiliated with ICVA, VOICE, and LINK 2007, has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, and holds observer status at the International Organization for Migration. It has also supported COVAX in efforts to distribute COVID-19 vaccines more equitably. The supplied reference describes INTERSOS as operating in 23 countries. Its leadership history includes Nino Sergi, Raffaele Morese, Marco Rotelli, and Mamadou Ndiaye as presidents, while Konstantinos Moschochoritis has been Director General since 2015.

• 2015

  Konstantinos Moschochoritis becomes Director General

  [1]INTERSOSen.wikipedia.org

  Konstantinos Moschochoritis begins serving as Director General.

• 2007

  Mine-action program concludes

  [1]INTERSOSen.wikipedia.org

  The organization's humanitarian demining unit ends its operations after missions in several conflict-affected countries.

• 1997

  Humanitarian mine-action unit is established

  [1]INTERSOSen.wikipedia.org

  INTERSOS creates a mine-clearance unit that later operates in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Angola, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

• 1992

  INTERSOS is founded

  [1]INTERSOSen.wikipedia.org

  The organization is established in Italy on 25 November as an independent humanitarian organization.

• First operation in Somalia

  [1]INTERSOSen.wikipedia.org

  INTERSOS begins its first project in Somalia and assumes responsibility for the Jowhar Regional Hospital.

• INTERSOS24 opens in Rome

  [1]INTERSOSen.wikipedia.org

  INTERSOS establishes a protection and health facility for vulnerable migrant women and minors in Rome.

• Support for COVAX

  [1]INTERSOSen.wikipedia.org

  INTERSOS supports the international COVAX effort to improve equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.

An independent, field-oriented humanitarian organization focused on rapid and practical assistance for people affected by conflict, displacement, disaster, and severe deprivation. INTERSOS combines emergency relief with protection, health, education, food security, water and sanitation, shelter, and selected recovery activities.

• Humanitarian services · 1992

  Emergency humanitarian response

  INTERSOS delivers immediate assistance in conflict, disaster, displacement, and extreme-poverty settings. Activities may include relief distributions, emergency shelter, protection, health care, nutrition, water and hygiene services, and support for affected communities.

• Civilian protection

  Protection programs

  Protection is a central area of INTERSOS work. Programs assist people exposed to violence, forced displacement, exploitation, and other threats, with particular attention to refugees, internally displaced people, migrants, women, and children.

• Health services

  Health and nutrition programs

  The organization provides health and nutrition assistance during emergencies and displacement crises. Its history includes hospital support, medical rehabilitation, emergency health interventions, nutrition activities, and the clinic connected with INTERSOS24 in Rome.

• WASH services

  Water, sanitation, and hygiene

  INTERSOS undertakes water and hygiene activities intended to reduce health risks and improve living conditions for communities affected by conflict, disaster, displacement, or inadequate infrastructure.

• Mine clearance · 1997

  Humanitarian mine action

  Established in 1997, INTERSOS's mine-action unit conducted humanitarian demining in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Angola, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The program ended in 2007 and is therefore a historical rather than current offering.

• Migrant protection

  INTERSOS24

  INTERSOS24 is a Rome-based initiative serving vulnerable migrant women and minors. It includes a safe space and child-friendly space, together with a clinic in the Torre Spaccata area, linking protection and basic health support.

• COVAX support

  International

  INTERSOS supported COVAX, the international effort designed to promote more equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines across countries.

  Outcome. The reference confirms organizational support for the initiative but does not provide a separate INTERSOS-specific outcome.

  Source
• INTERSOS24

  Italy

  A protection and health initiative in Rome providing safe-space, child-friendly-space, and clinic services for vulnerable migrant women and children.

  Outcome. The program became part of INTERSOS's protection work in Italy; quantitative results are not specified in the reference.

  Source

• 1997

  Create a humanitarian mine-action unitStrategy

  Background

  Conflict-affected communities in the organization's operating environments faced continuing risks from landmines and unexploded ordnance.

  Action taken

  INTERSOS established a dedicated mine-clearance unit and deployed it initially in Bosnia and later in Angola, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

  Aftermath

  The unit continued until 2007, after which the mine-action program ended.

  Source

• Expand protection services for migrants in ItalyStrategy

  Background

  Migrants, women, and minors in Italy required dedicated protection and health support.

  Action taken

  INTERSOS developed domestic programs including INTERSOS24 in Rome, combining safe-space, child-friendly-space, and clinic functions.

  Aftermath

  The initiative became part of the organization's continuing humanitarian and protection activities in Italy.

  Source

1. 1INTERSOSen.wikipedia.org
2. 2INTERSOS official websiteintersos.org